Butterfly
by Lycan.Kallias
Summary: AU. KyoXHaru. Haru is a vampire who is bored of his sheltered life. Kyo is a Hunter who knows no other way of life. Are their meetings nothing more than chance or is their something a little more powerful behind it? THIS IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REWRITTEN.
1. Chapter One

**This has chapter has been re-written. Characters have been changed and some minor details, grammatical errors and such.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

_Haru_

I watched him from across the street. Tall, skin glowing from the kiss of the sun, wild orange hair with hints of gold. He was very lithe, almost to the point of being lanky and I was utterly amazed at how beautiful he looked, how much he looked like a prince. I knew he was watching me gawk at him, but frankly I couldn't help it. Something about him fascinated me. Something about him pulled me in.

A gentle presence surrounded me and I felt a gaze that bore into my neck. I refrained from turning around, but I couldn't stop the goose bumps from appearing on my arms and legs.

"Why is it that you sit all alone?" Cold breath and a voice blew into my ear. I shuddered involuntarily.

"To make people like you wonder and ask." I said as I spun around. It was exactly who I had expected it to be but his face was barely 3 centimeters from mine, making me jump. He laughed loudly as I thrust myself backward and toppled into my untouched coffee. "Yuki." My voice a bored drawl.

He was in the seat next to mine faster than my eyes could follow. His eyebrows shot up as he looked at me through soft ash bangs. His eyes flashed red before returning to their regular piercing violet. "Oh, my dear Haru, were you looking at that pitiful human?" I looked away.

"Where's Shigure?" I asked trying to divert the conversation away from me and my fondness for pretty little humans. Yuki's eyes softened at the mention of his bubble brained boyfriend. "Or have you grown tired of him already?"

"You wish Haru." A cold finger was drug down my neck. I shuddered again and stood up, not liking being caused so much discomfort in the span of ten minutes.

"Aw Haru, don't go..." Shigure whined and clamped his arms around my shoulders and I swooned briefly as fangs brushed against my neck.

"I think he wants to go play with the candy across the street." Shigure purred into my ear.

"Get out of my mind!" I muttered without emotion while forcing him back with my aura.

"That was a bit uncalled for." Yuki stated at my back as I walked out into the rain and down the street, I could even picture him playing with is hair as he said it.

'Damn. Don't they have anything better to do than harass me? If they've got so much energy, they should convert it to something a little more useful and less annoying.' I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't notice as someone fell into stride next to me until they reached over and tapped me on the shoulder. I spun around with a glare, ready to peel the skin off of the mortal I knew it must be. But as soon as I realized who it my mouth dropped and I felt embarrassment flood me.

It was my prince.

"What's a pretty boy like you doing out all alone out in the rain at this time of night?" He asked, his smooth sultry voice caressing the words, as though he were speaking to a lover. His beautiful hair was plastered to his face, rain running down that delicious skin, exquisite long black lashes framing his strikingly familiar, deep crimson eyes.

"Looking for some one to bring me in out of the cold." I said, my voice sounding a lot bolder than I felt. He backed me up against the nearest wall and put his arms on either side of me. Smiling at me, he dipped his head down and captured my lips. I was caught off guard by how forward he was. I didn't even know his name. But in times when a kiss is like a handshake, I should have expected it.

Abruptly the world around me fell away, as his tongue skimmed my lips, light burst behind my eyelids. As if everything I knew had suddenly changed and the world was reborn without fear, hate, or darkness... A burning glow that filled me with joy, yet it was tainted with worry.

"_Haru_!" Yuki's voice exploded in my mind and though I didn't wish for it, the sound of running made me break the kiss. I saw Shigure first. He was running towards me, fangs gleaming from his open, hissing mouth. He grabbed the man and threw him off me, while Yuki snapped me back to his side. I was stunned into immobility. What was happening?

Then I saw it. A .357 Magnum, a sleek silver beauty with the stamp of The Academy, was gripped in his hand. The man was a Hunter. He was going to kill me. And as that sunk in I realized that Shigure was in Deaths gaze.

Shigure had him pinned to the ground, arms above his head, but only for a second. The man wrapped his long legs around Shigure's waist and threw him to the ground a few feet away. They both jumped up and charged each other again. I turned away, not able to face the fight, but I couldn't look at Yuki either. I don't know how it feels to see a loved one in danger, but I can only imagine the fear and pain. And I was the cause of this dangerous situation.

Suddenly Shigure was beside us and the Hunter had vanished. At first I thought the black haired vampire had killed him but then I realized the sent of blood was not in the air. My eyes swept the alley a bit frantically, and when I met Shigure's eyes I realized he was laughing at me.

"What?" I asked a bit too defensively.

"What are you so worried about?"

"Nothing." I snapped back.

"I see" I felt a surge of anger toward him but then I remembered he had just saved my life. I sent a thank you through my eyes and he nodded in return. "Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"He could've really kicked my ass, but he wasn't prepared for the fight."

"What?"

"I mean his aura... it was open. His defenses were down. I could have easily invaded him, drained him." These words didn't make sense to me. What kind of Hunter allows that to happen? From all that I had heard about Hunters they're taught that they can't let that door down. That they can't bear the soul. That they can't even love. "That was an amateur mistake, and he defiantly was not ..." I heard a large snap announcing a rib popping back into place. Yuki winced, but Shigure only grinned at us like a small boy who had just broken his first bone. "That always feels so weird." I laughed with him, but Yuki just bit his lip, his eyes filled with worry. But my thoughts wondered to the man. And why... couldn't I get him out of my mind.

_Kyo_

"What happened back there?" Was the question that buzzed through my head. I remember pulling the gun out, but after that was just a buzz. A foggy memory, as though it were old and long ago. And I remember wanting to hold that vampire forever. As long as I lived. The memory vibrated through me and I felt a traitor to the organization that I had pledged my entire life to.

He had the body of a 18-year-old boy, yet he rang of Old World elegance and grace. Just the way he moved told me he had lived for so long and seen so much, but the innocence in his eyes gave the opposite impression as though he had just recently been turned. And his hair... bugged me. It was white. This struck me as odd, because vampire's hair reflects their inner age, the age of the soul, the age they felt while alive. But white for one so young? Not just his hair, his eyes had captured me as well. They were a deep shade of brown with small flecks of yellow, like a crystal. In the light they shimmered as lighter shades of green and gold shimmered through. He was so much paler, so much lovelier, than the prince, Yuki Sohma of the Sohma clan, that had been by his side. "That boy... I want to know... who he is." I said aloud to no one in particular.

"Who?" My computer clicked to life and a shadowed figure sat in the communications box.

"If I knew would I be askin'? Hey old man, you know everything right? A younger boy, hangs around Sohma Prince."

"Don't call me old man, damn it."

"Sorry Ayame, but do you have any information on Yuki's circle?"

"The dark haired moron Shigure?" I shook my head.

"Nah, he had white-"

"Haru."

"Hm?"

"The young one with the white hair, his name is Haru. One of the few vampires with white hair to my knowledge. And his name is reallythe only thing we have on him. He's been connected with three of the _Sept Bainge dans le Sang_, five if you count Yuki's parents. For some reason The Seven will not disclose anything about him. There are quite a few wild theories out there from bored Lovers. Ancient, first turned, half-breed or even a born. He's been around for quite a while, almost always sighted with Hatori or Yuki."

My mind let this information sink in lazily. The Seven liked their secrets but The Academy trusted them, not much, but enough to keep most satisfied. What I couldn't wrap my head around was why they kept a lid on this one, even Yuki Sohma, a born had files upon files about him, so why not this Haru. Ayame was a Class-A Lover and loyal, so I knew he wasn't withholding, but the fact he had nothing to tell me about the young man unnerved me.

"I'll see you tomorrow Ayame." I mumbled and pushed my laptop closed, throwing a few bills onto the counter and walked out into the early morning air not enjoying it as I would have. It was cold and the air was still heavy from last night's rain, fogging my breath with each exhale. The clouds still overcast the sky and thunder rumbled in the distance, promising more rain, telling me, though the sun wasn't set to rise for another hour or so that the day would be bleak.

As I climbed on to the borrowed Suzuki, I couldn't stop the feelings that came over me. I wanted to see that vampire, Haru, again. I couldn't stop the bizarre and foreign longing within me. The desire, the need to look into those eyes. To drown in the deep chocolate pools of shimmering light. I wanted to drown in those beautiful eyes until time itself stopped. I felt the softness of his hands once more on my face and neck. The simple elegance of his pale lips parting slightly to receive mine...

A fierce emotion stirred within me and I couldn't push it back. It hit me hard and I swerved towards the car on my right. I ignored the shouting men and obnoxious honking and goosed the gas. Faster and faster until the world was a blur. I didn't want to slow down. The faster I went, the less confused I became, the less I thought of Haru, the less my head hurt. I opened my mouth to the frigid air and screamed. I was surprised at how much it sounded like a roar. I screamed and screamed until I forgot what I was so frustrated about. Probably not the healthiest way to deal with it, but better than the alternatives.

I noticed I was doing 165 and ran quite a few red lights and as I skidded to a halt I realized I had no idea where I was headed, but it wasn't back to my apartment. I grunted and turned around wondering, once more, what the hell was wrong with me.

00000

I walked into my cold bare apartment that looked as though it would fall apart at any second, partly my fault, and began stripping. My jacket, holsters, sheaths and shirt all found their way to the floor. I made my way to the bathroom, trying not to step on any live ammunition. I flipped on the switch only to have the light flicker on, then snap off, leaving me in the dark. "Ah, shit!" I cursed and groped around in the dark, searching for the linen closet and grasped the thin chain. I yanked it and ended up with a dull, pale light spilling forth and a chain in my hand. I spotted a cockroach scurrying away on the wall and grimaced but ignored the pest and turned to the plastic sink.

As I splashed freezing water on my face, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I stared at my reflection as if seeing it for the first time. The last time I had actually seen myself had to have been five years ago. Sure, I had _looked_ at myself, but I hadn't really _seen_ myself.

I was startled by the fact that I didn't recognize that man in the mirror. My face now appeared more chiseled with sharper features. My disgusting blood red eyes were narrower and more intense, nose length bangs hanging limply in front of them. My neck was almost too lean on my broad muscular shoulders and my collarbone protruded sharply. I could see a few of my ribs placed against my skin and my pelvic bone jutted out right above my pant line.

My stomach made a loud noise of complaint and I couldn't remember the last time something solid past through my lips. I snorted. I was skin and bone... and muscle I added noting my arms, legs and abs with more than a little satisfaction.

I shut off the water and left the small dingy room for the kitchen. You really never notice how hungry you are unless you aren't working. I lazed into the yellowing kitchen. It had once been white, long ago, and it had probably been cheery back then, but now the bare walls were molding in several places and cobwebs had gathered in the corners and I wondered why this complex wasn't condemned. I nearly tripped over the leg of a chair before making it to the refrigerator. To my dismay all that it held was a few dead bugs that I didn't feel like identifying, an egg carton full of rotten eggs and an empty coke bottle. Yeah, grocery shopping, I'll remember to do that someday.

I yawned walking back into the living room, scratching my neck and popping a few bones before throwing myself onto the couch. My stomach made another angry noise of protest, but I ignored it. I could always eat when I wake up. Assuming I remembered.

00000

"Oi, Kyo! Get up!"

"No..." I mumbled pulling my arms over my head. An icy, slender hand pressed down in the small of my back making me jump. "God damn it, Ayame!" I yelled throwing a shoe at him. He dodged it and another hole was added to my wall.

"God has got nothing to do with it." Ayame said wiggling his eyebrows at me. "When are you going move out of this shit hole? It's falling apart... literally." He stuck a finger through the wall just to prove his point.

"I _like_ this shit hole." I grunted and pulled on the nearest t-shirt. "No asks any questions. About anything."

"You do know your fridge is out of food, right? Though you've got a lot of bugs..." He chuckled and made another hole in the wall.

"Hey, stop that!" I pulled on a holster. "I suppose you're hungry?"

"So are you." He stated as my stomach grumbled loudly. I nodded and attached small knives and sheaths to my forearms. My stomach roared and I doubled over, clutching the crying organ. I tried to cover the pain induced movement by reaching for my jacket, but Ayame saw right through it. He grabbed my wrist gently though his eyes burned with a anger. "When's the last time you ate?" I snapped my wrist away.

"It's about 7:30, right? I want some ramen." I pulled the jacket on and walked over to the door.

"Kyo, I'm over the fact you're a Hunter, even if you're my Hunter, but I won't get over the fact you not eating." Ayame and I had been friends, and I use that term loosely, for years before The Academy had enlisted us. Our SAT scores automatically put us in their recruit list. Once you're on that list, you have to agree to the training or disappear, and to disappear from The Academy would require skill only a Hunter would have. Once they're sure they have you, the candidates are separated into three different categories, Leaders- humans who lead the search for more recruits and run The Academy, usually only top scores make this, Lovers- gatherers of Intel on every known monster in existence, their status, rank and age. One Lover is assigned to each Hunter. And finally Hunters- applicants of strength, stealth, and emotional unresponsiveness receive this position. A Hunter is the equivalent of hit man in the vampire world. Trained to know that we are disposable, heartless, and unloved. That we are to be viewed as the bad guy in every situation and that if we are seen during a kill we stand alone and are to be judged by the humans we protect. But, despite this, we are the only hope for mankind.

I ignored him and kept my back turned. I didn't want him to go on a mommy rant again. I heard a sigh behind me and footsteps.

"Come on then, if its ramen Kyo wants, then its ramen Kyo gets." He grabbed my wrist again, pulled me out into the hallway and slammed the door shut. I heard something crash inside my apartment and I silently hoped the roof hadn't caved in.

_Haru_

She stared at me as though I were a wounded animal that needed help. That annoyed me. I looked away from her intense gaze, the oddly happy light brown eyes seemed to read me and that annoyed me too. A human I had wanted, still wanted, had almost taken my life, not only a human, a Hunter. Her pity swooped through me and hurt my soul.

"Kimi, go away." My voice was calm and steady, but held a fierceness I was surprised by. I didn't want her to read me. I didn't want him to know that I still thought of that human, that Hunter. An immortal scream erupted within me and my aura flooded the restaurant. A vampire in the corner fell off his stool and quickly walked out, but Kimi just looked at me. Her knowing eyes washed over me taking me in, reading me like I don't like to be read.

"You like this Hunter?" This was a question, though it sounded like a statement. She threw a lock of her long brown hair over her shoulder, smirking briefly at a human that gazed at her as if she were a goddess, though her eyes didn't leave me for long. Kimi may be a flirt and act like a bimbo but she wasn't as air-headed as she let others believe. I sighed and looked down at my long pale fingers. I couldn't hide from this woman and I _hated _that. My guardian, my protector, my reader, my Track. This girl was much wiser about the ways of the vampire than me and made sure I never forgot it.

"Yes." I muttered boredly, still not looking at her. From the corner of my eye I saw her smirk as though her thoughts were correct and leaned back in her chair as though she had won some kind of victory. I felt her eyes scan me and felt violated by it so completely I almost growled at her.

"Why didn't this Hunter kill you? Yuki said he had the chance. I want to know why he didn't do it."

"Does it look like I know? Why don't you go ask him yourself." I snapped. I could feel the fire that blazed in my eyes and I wanted to smack her. Suddenly her gaze shifted to over my shoulder towards the door.

"Oh my." she said, fascinated by whatever she saw. I looked at her, a little puzzled, and then followed her eyes.

"Hatori..." I breathed the name. Hatori was back. His beautiful stormy grey eyes turned to me and captured my complete attention, the bar around me fading away. His eyes were so gentle yet held a fierceness that scared me at times. But then his eyes were the focal point only for me; to any other, immortal or otherwise, their eyes would automatically go to his pale red lips. He had a wide mouth that dominated the lower half of his face, but on him it was so with such elegance that it didn't seem as un-proportioned as it would have been on any mortal man. His short onyx hair was cut just above the ears with bangs that fell just an inch above his strong chin. He had been five years older than me when he 'died', so his body was at its best. Toned in all the right places, soft in all the best places, and striking in all the needed places.

Hatori. As much as I hated our race, our kind, I couldn't hate him. He had made me. I was unwilling, yes, but still he had made me. My Maker, my Lord, my Master, my Hatori.

He took a step into the room and, as always, everything paused. Everything held its breath. His steps were so graceful and elegant you'd have thought he was floating... every step planned and careful.

"Welcome home, My Master." I grabbed his hand and bent forward until my forehead touched it gently. I gazed up at him as Kimi did the same with a small giggle. Hatori's gaze trapped my own and he sent me images of his journey. After he had filled me in, I heard his voice sending the simple word _Boring_ in my mind. I had to smile. Once a boy, always a boy I guess. "Why have you returned early?" Though I worried I knew the answer and he did not put those worries to rest.

"Because of you Haru." he smiled and his right eyebrow twitched slightly. I got angry. I knew him well enough to know what that twitch meant. He wanted desperately to laugh at me. I couldn't meet his eyes after that. It stung. It hurt so badly that my mentor wanted to laugh at my stupidity. "Kimi, leave us."

"Yes my Lord." She stood gracefully and walked away. I watched her disappear and silently wished I could go with her. Having her read me was a thousand times better than having Hatori scold me.

I kept my face lowered and waited, expecting a well deserved scolding, but he surprised me again by folding his strong muscular arms around me. I felt him breathing into my hair, slow and even, as though he were asleep. My breath left me as he kissed the top of my head, flattered to have his attention. He let out a shaky breath and squeezed me tighter. "Haru, Haru, Haru. My foolish, foolish love. I was so worried when they called me and told me you had been attacked..." he pulled back and kissed my forehead. "Come. Let's go out."

00000

Hatori was part of the _Sept Bainge dans le Sang_, meaning Seven Bathed in Blood or something close to that; they were the oldest vampires in the world, the first to ever exist and are considered Gods among the immortals. The lore says they had been the closest, dearest friends to Anubis. Amun-Ra, the sun God, came to hate the bond that Anubis shared with the seven mortals and placed a curse upon them. To die, but never to die, never able to set foot into his glorious rays, and only able to have strength by feasting on the blood of their loved ones and neighbors. Amun-Ra was powerful, almost as powerful as he thought himself to be, but rage and jealousy were imbedded in the curse and it came out jumbled and distorted. Things were taken away and things were added that had not been intended. It was rumored that Anubis had something to do with it.

These friends of Anubis; Altair (whom I know as Hatori), Yuki's parents Arcturus and Naric, Antarnes, the twins- Axrux and Acrux, and Minosa; were forced to live only in darkness and feed of the blood of others, as intended. But in turn were given inhuman strength and abilities, immortality, and beauty that could not be rivaled by any human or God. Even the vain Aphrodite had to bow in their presence.

Gods among humans, Gods among immortals, Gods among Gods. Their 'children' were given their curse, yet they would never rival them in beauty and strength.

00000

"Oh, what are you drinking?" Shigure asked leaning over the table and sniffing my cup. "White Russian?" He stood back up and looked at me, the soft lighting highlighting his pale skin.

"Would I drink anything else?" I sloshed the red liquid around in the cup. "Taste. Still warm." Shigure grabbed the cup, sniffed it then took a small sip. I thought he was going to spit it out all over my face.

"Ulgh! That tastes disgusting Haru." He wiped his mouth with back of his hand and sat on the table. "You should try Modern Egyptian, or Young French. Oh, Rebel Aristocrat is always good."

"Get off the table." Yuki growled walking up behind Shigure and giving him a gentle tap on the top of his head.

"Yuki!" Shigure gushed warmly, jumping onto the smaller male. Yuki tried to look annoyed as Shigure kissed his neck, but failed miserably and ended up with a soft smile on his face. Hatori looked on with a stone face and brushed his hand against mine under the table. I realized then what that stare meant. He wanted to be able to do that. He wanted to be able to hold someone out in the open, to be able to show his affection without worrying if anyone might see them. He wanted that freedom.

Yuki and Shigure plopped down next to Hatori and flagged down a waiter, but I hardly noticed. Hatori still stared into my eyes, making me feel very self-aware. The swirling grey of his eyes pulled me in only to be ripped away from me by Yuki, who grabbed Hatori's arm and pulled him down, whispering into his ear. Shigure just grinned at me, tearing a coaster to shreds with his long nimble fingers and a small smile broke out over Hatori's face. Yuki smiled and let Hatori sit back up. They all knew something that I did not. And that was irritating. Everything is irritating me tonight and there was nothing I could do about it.

Then, without warning, Hatori grabbed my hand and kissed me savagely, tongue slipping into my mouth and exploring every inch of it, sending pulses of electricity through my body. I was taken aback but swam in the kiss, a gentle nagging in the back of my mind kept me from fully enjoying it. A comparison to a kiss I'd had just the other night. Shigure let out a snort. "You should have given him some kind of warning, or at least let him breathe!" He said, clapping.

"Why? I like this effect better. Him being dumbfounded and speechless is much, much better." Hatori smiled and nuzzled my neck. After shock wore off panic flooded my body.

"But, what about..."

"It's all taken care of." That's when I noticed that no one was moving. Everything frozen into a slumber of time. I whipped around to face Yuki an anger rising from within.

"Fix it. You can't be doing this. All you do is stop the people but when they wake up an hour will have past and-" A loud horrendous screech stopped me in mid babbling frustration. Hatori looked at me, a sort of shock dawning over his face.

"What the name of… What was that?" We were all at the door in a flash, careful not to disturb the people frozen in place. My heart thundered. Who had ever heard of a mortal, or immortal, who was unaffected by the freezing charm that they were not shielded from?

We peered out into the unknown darkness. Hatori and Shigure held a hand out to stop me and Yuki from leaving the sanctity of their presence. Hatori moved like a cat, almost losing solid form from time to time, Shigure's movements sharper, less smooth and filled with purpose. I got excited in spite of myself, sure it was unknown, but that didn't stop me from feeling the rush of a possible death a chance of a fight. "Wait here." Hatori mouthed grabbing Shigure's shoulder and they both vanished in a dull shimmery fog.

"No way in hell am I missing this." I breathed out and started for the street.

"Haru!" Yuki hissed into my ear. I shook off his hand and rounded the corner. The cars that lined the street told a story of the people inside. A man about to hit a young woman, a boy spilling a dark liquid onto an older boys head, young couples kissing and laughing. 'What an average boring life they all must lead..." I tapped on the glass and smiled, slightly upset by the fact I could not recall my time as a human, wondering again why I seemed to be the only one without something to go on. Someone to miss.

"Ah, shit!" A voice cursed somewhere ahead of me.

"Yuki, I hope you didn't touch something and ruin it." I grinned. A hand clamped down on my shoulder, scaring me out of my wits.

"That wasn't me..." Yuki looked before me; the look in his eyes was curiosity and not fear. I followed his gaze, still unable to comprehend what I was seeing. Tanned skin, a flash of orange and a glare of crimson red. And it didn't click until Yuki leaned over and breathed the words to me, "Your Hunter..."

* * *

**Hope you enjoy this journey of my re-write and like the changes I have made. I love this story and I'm trying to fix all the inconsistencies while making this a better story to read.**


	2. Fate In The Cards

**Butterfly**

_Kyo_

"Shit!" I cursed again flinging the helmet across the street. I wiggled out from under the Suzuki and stood. Trying to pull it out would be useless. The black Saturn had the bike pinned to the ground, the muffler and the wheel merged into an undeterminable mess. I knelt down to examine the mess further, but a glimmer of white in the cars paint caught my eye.

My body reacted faster than my mind did, the result from years of 'hunting'. I spun around still in the crouched position, drawing my knife out in the process.

"Very good, for a human." Haru stood stotic a yard away from me. His skin appered to glow in the moonlight, white hair adding to the otherworldly illusion.

I didn't answer just shifted slightly to the balls of my feet.

"You're just a bundle of joy aren't you Kitty?" He didn't smile but his voice sounded amused.

"Don't be so informal with me parasite!" I growled trying to keep my anger in check.

His eyes narrowed. "Informal? Who kissed who again?"

I barely made the disicion to move when something crushed around my neck, lifting me from the ground. I struggled against the cold skin gently squeezing my throat, cutting off my air yet not killing me. My vision began to fail me and the world grew dark.

"Don't kill him if you're not going to drink." A new voice approached.

Dark and malicious, a voice answered from behind me. "I wouldn't even if the sun was rising. He smells like filth. Now leave. I'll see to this one."

I felt the ground come up and meet my face harder than I would have liked. The hand released me and just before I slipped into a dark slumber, cold lips pushed at my ears.

"How many times do I have to kill you Hunter? He is mine!"

And then nothing but the darkness.

_Haru_

"That is the one who attacked you the other night?" Hatori's eyes held an edge I'd never seen before. "Is it?"

"Yeah." I nodded while answering .

"Did he say anything to you? Anthing unsual? Anything familiar?"

"A pick up line?" His entire body seemed to relax. Why would he say anything familiar?

"I want you to stay with Ritsu for now."

"What? I'm not a feedling Hatori, I'll be fine on my own." I growled tempted to storm from the room like a two year old. He was giving me a Trac. A babysitter. Like I was a feedling once again.

"Don't think of it like that, do it as favor to me. Ritsu's too... diferent to go out in public by himself. And he can't stay here all the time." Hatori turned his soulful eyes on me, trying to pull me under.

"No." With that I stood and walked out into the night.

_Kyo_

I woke up surrounded by EMTs and cops. I would have laughed if it hadn't been so god damn annoying. They would have taken me away on a stretcher if hadn't woken up when I did. Even then they were reluctant to let me up. As soon as I was up I ran. My body protesting every minute until the police gave up the chase. Dizzy, exhausted and sore I collapsed into a phone booth. My fingers fumbled with the change as I picked up the receiver and punched in the number. Once, twice, "I'm assuming this is you."

"What?" I moaned out as my head throbbed.

"This crash I'm seeing. That is my bike."

"Oh. Sorry Ayame. I ran into..."

"A car apparently." He laughed for a good ten minutes before settling down enough to hear me.

"Just come get me."

**00000**

"You know when I signed up for this job I thought it'd be different." Ayame gently rubbed ointment over the roadrash on my lower leg.

"How so?" I asked not really caring to hear the answer.

"Well for one the term Lover is just so downright misleading, I have not gotten to sleep with any of the Hunters!"

"Ayame." I growled in warning.

"What? Stating the facts. When I first heard about it I wasn't thinking librarian-medic, I was thinking-"

"I get it!" I shouted jerking my leg away from him. "Just shup up!"

"Shup...?"

"Shut up!!" I roared gabbing the gauze and storming to my bathroom, followed by the sound of his laughter.

_Haru_

The air smelled of sugar and blood. Sugar from the pollution caused by man and blood... blood from the Hunter. Despite Hatori's worries and Yuki's watchful eye I knew the Hunter wasn't after me. They hadn't seen his face. I had suprised him. And the day before, he hadn't sought me out. He was always at the wrong place at the right time. The fragrant wind tossed my hair back and forth as it changed directions. I looked down at the city from my perch and saw perfection. Flawed, of course always flawed, but that is what made humanity so perfect. With out its flaws there would be no life, no death, no pain, no happiness, no love. Thats the only way anything can be perfect.

My mind wanders back to the Hunter. What an odd, beautiful human. Something about him makes Hatori furious. I have never seen him with that look on his face. Pure hatered and rage. And those questions. I leap into the open air and search for the Hunters scent. A unique blend of rosewood and oil.

I backtrack to the scene of the earlier encounter, latching onto it as soon as I arrive. If no one is going to tell me whats going on, I'll find out myself.

_Kyo_

"You can leave now." I growl walking through my unsually clean apartment. I'm not sure I'll be able to even sleep in here without feeling out of place. I was only in the bathroom thirty minutes... I think.

"I know what you're thinking!" Ayame gushed hands on his hips in what I was guessing was pride.

"Oh really?" I stretched.

"How can I ever repay my Lover for tiding my house up? His kindness has driven me to tears! Here! Come cry in my bosom!"

"Wrong! Get out!" I shouted shoving him out the front door.

"Oh wait!" I slammed the door before he could get anything else out of that moronic mouth. He's a brilliant man, but it usually seems like he's channeling an idiot. I looked around the trash free apartment and let out a sigh. I was gonna have to repay him.

Okay... I stood awkwardly by the door. Thanks to the 'accident' I was penalized two hits, forty percent pay and now I had to actually have a life.

In other words I'm broke, gonna be even broker and have nothing to do. Lets see... I scanned the room and ruffled my hair.

I picked up a book lying on the window sill and looked it over.

_**Heaven** V.C. Andrews_

"When the hell did I buy this?" I grumbled opening the window climbing out onto the fire escape. "Won't kill me to read it I suppose." I yawned out.

I spread out over the steel steps and opened the cover, but stopped and listened to the city. If you asked someone from a small town what they heard the most while in the city what they heard the most the answer would probably be cars, but ask the same question to someone born and raised in the big city you'd probably be surprised. People, the constant non stopping flow of voices everywhere, music from some bands a block away, the click of traffic signals changing, mothers yelling at their kids, husbands yelling at their wives, the energy from a game being played on a tv set, the wind moving the trees and paper in the streets and alley ways.

Thats all I hear out here. The constant flow of life. The flow I'll die to protect.

"Thats a good book."

"Jeez!" I jump, my head making contact with the handrail. "Aw, damn it!" I rub the tender area on my head and look up. Since when can so many people sneek up on me? I must really be losing my edge. I'm suprised when I see nothing but the dark sky above me.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." My eyes flashed to the window above mine. Long black hair fell across her pale shoulders in soft waves, creating a perfect frame for her delicate heart shaped face. Her eyes were on the sky, searching for something she expected to come. "But you needed to be scared." She said finally meeting my gaze. I swallowed. Black! Her eyes were pitch black.

"Uh, yeah. I'm gonna go now." I turned and started for my own window when something fell in front of me.

"Pick it up." Bossy much? I grabbed the card and held it up for her. "What does it say?"

"Um, it says Wheel of Fortune." Yeah, Kyo, lets indulge the crazy lady that lives above you. Another card fell onto my lap and I picked it up as well. Interesting. "This one doesn't say anything. It just has a picture."

"And what is the picture?"

I shook my head and looked back at the card. "Eight sticks."

"It is the Eight of Wands."

"No they're definately sticks." She frowned a little.

"Your card is the Wheel of Fortune. You're life is about a single path and you never waver, but something has changed. Destiny has caught up to you. The Eight of Wands shows me that you'll have no time to sit and think about all that is happening to you. Destiny has waited centuries. It will wiat no longer." Another card fell. "The Tower. Revelation. Sudden change. You will see the truth and all the lies that have surrounded you will vanish." This time two cards. "The Emporor and the Five of Swords. Rules no longer apply to you. The things you think you know are exactly the things you must run from. The things you fear, you must embrace. And your last card."

She sighed and tossed her deck of cards into the wind. I watched as they fell around me and flew away. "Hold your hand out, close your eyes, and let the card find you."

I did as she said without thinking about it. I felt it fall into my hands but refused to look at it.

"The Hanged Man." She whispered in my ear. "Sacrafice."

My eyes flew open at the words. "Sacrafice?" I looked up at her. "Wait!"

She was gone. I ran up the steps to her window and leaned in. Nothing. The room was empty and cold. The window I leaned through wasn't even open, its pieces lay on the floor. Chills ran up my spine and shuddered. She must have climbed up the fire escape while I had my eyes closed. Yeah, just a crazy lady with some cards.

I think.

* * *

Yay! Finally chapter two is done. It's really short compared to the first chapter, but thats okay. I hope everyone can guess who the Tarot woman is if not... oh well. ha ha . Comments much appriciated.


	3. Before Juliet And Her Romeo

**Butterfly**

_Haru_

He's so easy to follow. For some reason his blood sings to me, so familiar, like an old, faded song. I could hum you the entire tune, but I couldn't tell you the words. It's soft and light, but with so much sadness as if it's a song of farewell to a loved one.

I feel tears begin to fall and I wipe at them quickly, but they refuse to stop. As I get closer my heart begins to twist and ache, and I realize I'm sobbing as I run.

And then I'm there.

A shabby rundown apartment complex that looks as though it should be condemned. I walk slowly up the fire escape hearing nothing but his blood song. I close my eyes and my fingers fly to my lips as they begin to tingle, as if longing for a kiss.

How can a mortal have so much sorrow within them, and still have room for this powerful love woven through it? Why does this blood song seem so familiar? And why does it bring tears to my eyes?

"What are you doing here?" I feel something cold press into the small of my back.

"You're such a wonderful host." I mutter.

"Yeah, well I don't appreciate uninvited guests. They're usually the ones I don't want around." I can hear the sneer in his voice. I roll my eyes and catch sight of our reflection.

"I doubt you'll do much damage to me with a stapler." I retort.

"Thanks to a certain asshole my guns got confiscated when I got suspended." He growls shoving further into my back. I spin around quickly, grabbing his hands and squeezing tightly until the metal object clatters to the black top seven stories below.

"I didn't come to fight-."

"Coulda fooled me." He shot back, crimson eyes glowing with rage. Instantly they softened. "Are you crying?"

_Kyo_

He reached up and wiped away the blood stained tears slowly. Though I'd never admit it, I'm a sucker for tears.

Blood stained or not.

He pressed me against the wall with ease and held me there by my wrists. I cringed as he leaned towards my face and peered into my eyes.

And I was lost once again.

He was the world, the sun, and the air. My only thought was if this is what it felt like to be drained of my blood, he could drink every last drop.

As the thought settled in my head, it set something off. Flashes of a life long ago. Too long ago to be mine... Then it clicked and I fought to regain control of my body. I shook my head violently.

"Stop!" I shouted.

But he wasn't biting me. He was just staring at me... as if I were a sad puzzle. Something to be mourned.

"What are you doing?!" I roared,

"You..." He gulped. "Your blood song... Do you realize... How beautiful it is?"

I felt all of my blood rush to my face. Of all the things I had expected him to say, that certainly wasn't one of them. "Is that some sort of weird vampiric pick up line?"

He just continued to stare at me as if I hadn't spoken. "It's like a love song with a tragic ending... so devastating... Like a mother who has lost her child. A husband whose wife has just died. A child who feels no love from his parents."

He leaned in closer, cold breath washing over me. Eyes trying to pull me under again as his tears began to fall from them.

'Okay freak show, that's it.' I kicked him as hard as I could and dove away from him. "What the fuck is your problem?" White bangs hides his face, but I can still see tears falling into his lap. My heart gives a sudden ache and try as I might I can't push it away. It throbs and aches for me to hold him.

"You're suddenly so familiar... Your song makes my heart beg for more and makes me cry." He looks up at me, tears gushing from his eyes. "Who are you? Who are you to me?"

"I want to tell you a story."

My eyes shoot up at the sound of a familiar cold dead voice. "You..." I whisper.

"I hadn't expected him to seek you out tonight." Her black eyes shifted to Haru. "You're moving things a little faster than anticipated."

I started to ask her what she was talking about but she cut me off.

"Back to my story..." She cleared her throat and looked at the stars. "Every love story has an inspiration. But, the greatest, most memorable, remarkable love stories are written about a couple that actually existed..." She paused here and adjusted her thick black lace skirt.

"And what story would that be?" Haru asked when she didn't continue.

"Excuse me?"

"Which love story is the most memorable?" I growled rolling my eyes.

"If both of you would listen, you'd notice that I said stories. Plural. No more interruptions or you'll have to piece together the rest by yourselves. And judging by the looks of that one" she pointed at me "that could take a very long while.

"Hey!" I shouted oddly pissed off by her remark.

"Sit down and shut up." Haru muttered.

"What did you-?"

"For five minutes, just shut up." He shot me a look that made me bite my tongue. "May I ask who and what you are?"

She looked down at us. "Quite finished I hope. And you may call me Hanajima and I..." She floated down to us. "Am a keeper of history. A type of muse if you will. Now back to your story."

I tried to say something again but the look in her eyes told me to shut up.

"Ever since the first ray of light fell upon the first man, there has been love. And ever since there has been love, man has been inspired by it's power." Her hands began to twist, summoning a light grey mist that floated around us.

"And then, there was a love story so beautiful, full of such heart ache and pure love that men and women alike could not get it out of there heads." The mist engulfed everything around us until everything was white. "Humanity kept retelling it until there were so many versions of it, that one could hardly recognize that two different tellings were the same."

"Until one day a man by the name of Shakespeare wrote down one version for all the world."

* * *

**_The Eye_**

'There was once a very beautiful King. This King loved to be worshiped and loved, it was his only desire, so much so that he neglected his wife and son. He would spend all day lounging with his concubines, listening to them gush over his beauty and who loved him the most. And every month new ones would arrive and gush over him as well.

'The King loved beautiful things as well and raised the taxes of his people so much that many could not pay and began to offer their villages most beautiful woman as an offering. The King, entranced by the peasant girls simple beauty took them willingly.

'But a northern tiny village had no great beauties. All they had was a small pale boy of thirteen that came anywhere close to what the King was demanding. So they washed his hair until it shone like silk. Bathed him until his skin was flawlessly pale. And presented him before their King. The King stared at the boy and smiled. The boy was indeed very beautiful and he looked so fragile. But he was a boy and the King had no use for him.

'He was about to send the boy and the villagers away when his son entered the throne room. He looked at the frightened villagers and the beautiful boy, he realized what they did not. If his father refused their offering, their village was no longer a part of the kingdom and was, therefore, open to any attack. He demanded that his father accept the boy... and give him to the Prince, as a servant. The King tried to convince the boy that they're were plenty of beautiful women to act as his servant, he did not need the boy. But the Prince would not accept this.

'So the King had no choice but to begrudgingly accept the gift.

'The peasant boy wept. He knew he would never see his family again. He knew he was now property of a selfish Prince.

'But the Prince surprised the boy. Without his father telling him he was better than his subjects, the Prince had grown up caring and happy, wandering around the city, learning from the wise men, and though he had told his father he wanted a servant, he never asked to boy to do anything for him and treated him like an equal. And before they knew it, they began to love each other like they had loved no other.

'Furious at his son for acting like a commoner, the King demanded that the peasant boy be brought to him for punishment. The Prince could do nothing to stop his father, he could only stand outside the throne room pounding on the door and begging his father not to hurt his beloved. The agonizing screams of the peasant boy could be heard all though out the Royal City for several hours until they abruptly stopped.

'The Prince burst into the throne room the minute the doors opened. The peasant boy lay on the ground sobbing, face covered in blood. A great rage filled the Prince and he demanded his father tell him what had happened. The King spat on the boys quivering body and left him and the Prince there, not once looking back. Finally a guard told the Prince what had happened.

'The peasant boy had spoken one sentence and only one. But it was enough to enrage the King.

'He had said "Your son is far more beautiful than you ever were or could hope to be."

'The King had had the boys eyes ripped from their place.

'The Prince moaned and sobbed into the boys hair for hours. How could his father do such a thing? The Prince noticed his Love's beautiful cobalt eyes lying a few feet away and sobbed even harder. He carried the boy to his room and laid him on his bed. Together they fell asleep embracing, the Prince crying for them both.

'When the Prince awoke, the boy was lying on the floor. He was covered in sweat and his skin burning. His eye sockets were being attacked by flies and seemed to have turned an ominous shade of red. The boy grew worse and worse over the next few days until the medicine man announced the boy was going to die.

'In his rage the Prince killed his father, his concubines and destroyed everything his father had desired. He sat by his lovers beside covered in blood, whispering to him softly. He never realized they were not alone in the room until the stranger spoke.

'The beautiful woman had felt the Prince's love for the boy while she was traveling by and she offered to help. "I work for the Gods. And they have decided that I may help you. But in return, they ask for your life."

'The Prince agreed without a second thought. The woman smiled and asked him what he wished for. The Prince thought long and hard, he knew deals with the Gods always had a way of turning out horribly.

'The woman began to get impatient when he finally spoke. "I want to give him my eyes, so that he may see again. I want him to find a companion, so that he will not be lonely. I want him to forget the things he had endured, so that they would not cause him grief. And finally I want him to find me again when I am reborn, so that we may be together again."

'The woman smile and bowed. "As you wish. Close your eyes so you will not feel pain when I take them. Think the happiness you want for him so that he will find it. And while he sleeps tell him what you have done so that he may find you."

'The Prince did as she said and closed his eyes for the last time staring at his beautiful peasant boy.

'When the boy awoke the next morning, he found he had eyes once more and that all his pain was gone. He turned to tell the Prince and found that he was already cold with death. The boy sobbed as his dream came back to him. How could his Prince just give up his life for him like that? He kissed the Prince's pale lips one last time and stood. As he walked out the door he stopped and looked into the mirror. Brown eyes. He had his Prince's own deep brown eyes.

'When the servants went to rouse the Prince, they found no one. Not even the servant boys blood on the bed.

* * *

The mist faded quickly revealing the city once again. Hanajima looked down at me. "Have you ever been told why your eyes are that unique bloody red?'

It took me a few minutes to register what she had just asked. "Uh," I shook my head. "Blood vessels in my eyes popped... Or something like that."

Hanajima sighed moved Haru closer to me with the wave of her hand. "Wrong. It's because when you were reborn you had no eyes, just pools of blood... Because, long long ago, you gave your eyes to him."

* * *

**Third Chapter! Shazam! . I'm so tired now, but it was worth it. I'm liking this chapter. Read and respond! **


	4. For Warmth And Werewolves

**Okay. So I realized I never actually said Romeo and Juliet in the last chapter, but... Ya'll seemed to make the connection anyways. Ha ha ha. My brain is malfunctioning or something. All I can think about is this story and vampires! Yay! Okies. Here's the Fourth Chapter.** _Song Lyrics_

* * *

_Kyo_

"Uh... What?" I look at the vampire sitting next to me, brown eyes burning into my own. "Why would I give my eyes to a vampire? And was that even possible back then?"

Hanajima eyes close as if she has a headache. "Back in those days people had faith in their Gods and the impossible was very possible. And when you gave your eyes to him, he was not a vampire, he was just a boy. A boy you loved enough to die for. Any more stupidity you want to spout out?"

"Hey!"

"How did I become this? Why can't I remember anything beyond fifty years ago? I mean shouldn't I remember my... Prince?" Haru whispered. My heart gave another tug as his brown eyes gazed into mine.

"That is the fault of your maker, Altair... or Hatori as he's now known. You wandered for four years after the Prince died, refusing to say a word until he was reborn. Your sorrow led him to you." She stopped and pointed at me. "Your wish wasn't specific enough. The companion you wished for him was your biggest mistake. The vampire fell for him instantly and" Her eyes returned to the white haired boy next to me. "He wanted him all to himself."

"He turned you while you slept. Painlessly. Easily. As soon as his blood entered you, you became his. And for eighty years you were his alone... The first and only he has ever turned... And the only thing he has coveted for centuries."

"Then... it happened."

I realized I was hanging on her every word. Hungry for more of this beautiful tale. Was she serious? I stole a glance at Haru, his face was blank... bored almost, but his eyes shimmered, longing for the rest.

"You were reborn." I looked back at her, black eyes focused on my face. "Haru found you on your twentieth birthday, stumbling upon you while you slept in the woods. Instantly you knew each other."

His hand found mine, our fingers tangling together.

"Your love flourished under the stars. You were children once again and everything was new. The world was right and everyone was innocent. Unfortunately fate was not on your side. Hatori became suspicious of Haru's increasing absences and followed him. Your bond was obvious and your love... Rage filled the calm vampire and he took your life, refusing to even drink your blood in his hatred for you. You, Haru, fell into grief and ran from Hatori. In desperation for your love he erased your memory and kept you close, changing your name"

Crunch.

"AAHHH!" I jumped up, clutching my hand to my chest. "You BROKE my hand you bastard!!!"

"You're lying. Hatori would never-."

"He has. Several times moving from country to country every time he killed the Prince and wiped your memory. Ask him yourself. He cannot lie to you."

"MY HAND!!!"

Both turned to me, looking at me as though I was an idiot. Hanajima waved her hand, her mist covering my hand completely. With two ripe snaps my fingers reset themselves painlessly. "Whoa..." I breathed.

"Mortals..." The two shared an annoyed look.

"Er... Why wouldn't the asshole lie to him?" I asked, slightly embarrassed for being mortal.

"Because that's just how he is." Haru snapped.

"Vampires really don't lie to those they love." Hanajima sighed. "Kyo. I'm here because this is your last passage. If he kills you again, you will not comeback. The Gods tire of this cycle, you two need to stop it."

_Haru_

I gulp, a sinking feeling taking over my body.

"How do we know you're not some crazy lady with a good story?" he asked

"Kiss him."

"Whoa, wait a minute. We've already been down that road and I just got a foggy brain and a bruised ass out of the deal."

"Yes, but you had been intent on killing him... and I know you feel some connection now. I can feel it all around you two." She whispered bringing us together with the flick of her hands.

I look over at the Hunter hesitantly. "No..." He whispers, heart shuddering in his chest.

I stand and look into his eyes. "Please." His back hits the wall softly as I move closer.

"No..." His lips are so close.

"Just once more..."

"Yes."

It's like a dream. His hands on my back, crushing me against him softly. The perfect rhythm of our lips moving together. The powerful hunger pulling me too him. My entire body shivers with the force.

_Intentions that were pure have turned obscure. Seconds into hours, minutes into years. Don't ask me why, please don't cry_

We break off reluctantly. My head floating, dizzy, as if affected by a drug. "Kyo."

"Haru." His forehead rests on my own, eyes locked onto mine.

Without taking our eyes from each other we address Hanajima together.

"I still don't remember a thing."

"You weren't supposed to." She sounds annoyed. "But you feel it. I can see it." I look at the Hunter still holding me. Something is different. Something I can't put my finger on.

It hits me.

I love him, without the slightest doubt. I love him more than I have loved anything on this Earth.

"I love him." His voice sounds out into the night with mine. We look up at Hanajima her eyes softened slightly.

"We have company." She tossed a card to our feet and disappeared with in a cloud of white mist.

"Comp-" Kyo starts but a deep growl from above stops him.

_Kyo_

I grab Haru and toss him into my apartment, shattering the window. A giant animal slams into my side crushing me into the railing, nearly sending me over the edge. I curse out loud. "Knife! Haru, I need a knife!" The giant stands on it's back legs letting out an angry howl to the sky, black fur matted and muddy. Just what this night needs. A werewolf. A pissed off one at that.

Something sliver shoots out of the apartment and I grab at it quickly crouching back on the balls of my feet. I steal a quick glance at my weapon and curse again.

"A STEAK KNIFE?! YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!!!" The creature lunges again, jaws spread wide, aiming for my head. Damn it. I drop to the ground and dive to the side, but the animal swipes at me with its giant claws, hitting me in the stomach. I'm thrown over the railing and headed to black top below. Son of a- I brace for impact. But cold hands pull me into an embrace and we land softly.

"You're losing." Haru whispers in my ear.

"Well, someone gave me a crappy knife." The giant wolf is before us in a second, snarling at the new opponent. "Get out of here. Now." I snap taking the offense and charging the beast. A monstrous roar echos through the alley as the puny knife slices through thick fur and flesh. I spin quickly and see Haru snap it's left hind leg in an effortless move.

"Not a chance." His smile is almost evil as he stands beside me. I barely have a chance to grin before the wolf turns on us again, hind leg repairing quicker than I would've liked. I dive to ground as the animal leaps again. My leg crunches under it's massive foot and I let out a scream, swiping at its belly. Putrid blood spills over my face as I finally break through. It's painful howl is cut off by a sickening snap.

"No Ha-!" Too late. It's lifeless body thumps down on me, pinning me to the ground. Every curse word I know is raging though my mind as the werewolf is lifted and tossed to the side. My eyes and mouth clenched shut against the werewolf blood and it's virus. Cold hands are frantically wiping the blood away as I run out of insults to throw at him.

"My bad..." I open my eyes ready to rip him a new one, but my anger dissolves when I see his face. Damn it.

"It's alright." I mutter shoulders dropping in defeat. "Uh, can you help me back to my place?" He takes a step towards me, but pauses and turns back to the apartment complex. I follow his gaze curiously. There. On the roof... Something.

It's a tall blonde woman in what looks like a long skirt staring down at us, arms crossed.

"What'd ya do that for Orangy? That was my hit!"

* * *

**Ooo. Another Hunter enters. And a werewolf! Sorry about the fight scene... Totally not my strong point. Ha ha ha... I'll work on that.** **Nervous laugh. Anyways the song caption is Angel's Cry by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Thank you for reading. (Please don't burn my fight scene this time)**


	5. Love Of Mine

**I don't think this really needs to be said at this point, but I don't own these characters. They are in no way mine. But I do own this story. So please don't steal it.**

_Chapter Five_

_Hatori_

"Where is he?" My patience is growing thinner by the second.

"We don't know my Lord." The ebony haired vampire cowers before me. I stand and walk toward her, trying my best to conceal my anger. The young one seems to relax, her fear slipping away as she falls under my spell.

"You don't know?" I whisper brushing my thumb across her lips. Her entire body quivers under my touch, a smile forming under my finger. My grip tightens. Harder and harder until her jaw cracked and she gave a high pitched squeal. "Then find him." My calm demeanor never fading as I throw her aside. "Find him now."

_Haru_

The blonde makes her way down to us slowly, muttering under her breath the entire time. She flips the hair out of her face with one hand, the other pulling something from her pocket. Instinctively I stand between her and Kyo, ready for anything.

I'm a little disappointed when she flips open a cellphone. She stops a yard away throwing me a deep glare. "Down boy, down." She growls quickly punching a number.

"Relax Haru, Hunters look after their own." His pain is obvious in his voice. "Even a bitch like Uotani wouldn't attack me while I'm down." I sneer at her one last time before kneeling next to Kyo.

She snaps her phone shut eyeing the fallen werewolf. "Up yours asshole! I just called Tohru for a med-kit, try being a little grateful!" She growls walking over to it. She's pretty. She's about my hieght, long blonde hair that reaches past her shoulder blades, and a fashion sense similar to my own. "Wanna split it?" She asks looking back at her fallen commrade.

"Nah, bounty's all yours. I'm on probation, I'd just in trouble for the kill."

The woman slips a lighter from somewhere in her sleeve and sets fire to the animals coat, walking back to us as it catches and blazes toward the sky. "What for?"

"Huh?"

"What's a weakling like you doing on probation?"

"A vampire related accident." I answer for him, tired of being left out of the conversation. She turns to me with a critical gaze.

"Who's this?" Her eyes narrowing as she spots my fangs. Aburptly her foot makes contact with my chest, sending me flying across the alley into the side of a dumpster. "Holy fuck Kyo! He's a fucking vampire!"

I jump to my feet quickly, fangs bared, ready to charge. My vision becomes red as her blood song explodes in my ears. "Bitch." I spit as she aims her gun at my face.

"Arisa stop!" Kyo shouts, the sound of his voice calming me gently. She turns to him, weapon still focused on me, eyes disbelieving.

"Since when are you friends with fucking leeches?"

"He's... well, it's kinda... Where's that med-kit?" I walk calmly to his side never taking my eyes from the woman.

"I'm his boyfriend."

_Kyo_

Great. Uotani can't breathe she's laughing so hard. I know I'll never hear the end of this. I love this eternal seventeen year old for less than an hour and already he's destroyed my reputation. "I hope you piss yourself." I mutter as her laughter begins to fade.

"Oh come on. You can't tell me you don't see the irony in this." Her smile is wider than I've ever seen it.

"I'll show you irony." I growl trying to sit up, up pain shoots up from my leg forcing me back down. "I hate you."

"Kyo-kun! Kyo-kun! M-m-med-kit! Eek!" I try not to laugh as a familiar brunette lands face first in the concrete by my feet. "Ow..."

"Hey Tohru."

"You alright?" Uotani asks picking up the kit and opening it, quickly pulling out a syringe and a vaile of pink liquid as her damaged Lover sits up.

"I'm fine." She announces smiling.

"You're bleeding." Haru states calmly turning away from us.

Me and Uo turn to Tohru. She looks just fine. Then, slowly, a small drop of blood appears from behind her bangs making it's way down her face. "Oh!" She cries reaching for a band-aid, but Haru stops her, grabbing the antiseptic.

"There's werewolf blood everywhere, you have to clean it out first." My heart warms as he wipes her forehead clean with a piece of gauze and peroxide.

"He-AH!"

"It's just a needle." Uotani grunts, pushing the liquid into me slowly.

"You stabbed me with it!"

"You'll live, you big wuss." She replied, jerking the needle out quickly.

"Bitch."

"What was that?" Haru asked, sniffing the syringe, finished with Tohru's band-aid.

"A vaccine in case he got any of the werewolf blood in his eyes or mouth. Thank you so much for the band-aid. I'm Tohru Honda." She explained, bowing politely. Haru just stared blankly back at her.

"He's Kyo's boyfriend." Uotani snickered, pulling a splint from the red case.

I turn to yell at her, but a bundle of gauze is shoved into my mouth instead. "Bite down." She grins wickedly. I tried to move away from her as I realize what she's trying to do, but it's too late.

_Crunch_

_Haru_

I'm sure his scream could be heard for miles. It echoed through the deserted alley for several seconds after he stopped. As soon as they have the splint on his leg and let go, he pulls his leg to his chest, spitting out the gauze and cursing everything around him.

"Boyfriend?" Tohru asks, blushing as they gather their equipment.

"Yeah," I mutter slipping the syringe into my pocket. "Hatsuharu. Of the Sohma clan." The two girls exchange glances before Uotani sighs and pulls two white pills from a bottle in the medical case and some water.

"Take 'em." She said handing them to Kyo. "Hatsuharu. If he starts acting strange, like drinking large quantities of water, restlessness, or high fever... well, call me." She hands me a card with her number on it. "Take good care of him, or it's your head." She whispered.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I've got another hit before the sun rises. Three Lamia has been spotted on the other side of town. What do you make of that?" She's addressing me, not Kyo.

"Excuse me?" My temper rising.

"The Sohma clan are in charge of looking after the Lamia. Now there's a sudden break out? Anything you wanna share?"

"Lamia?" I have no idea what she's talking about.

"Uo-chan... I don't think he knows." Tohru whispers, placing a hand on her friends arm.

"What is a Lamia?" I ask. For some reason I feel threatened.

Uotani's eyes grew. "You don't know what a Lamia is? Your kidding."

"I'm not."

"A Lamia is a child devoring demon... You must be really young to not know this." She scoffed, turning on her heel and walking away. "Later orangy, come on Tohru." The short brunette gives Kyo one last worried look before hurring after her friend.

"Fuck you Uotani..." Kyo grunts still clutching his leg.

_Kyo_

He lifts me easily as if I weigh nothing. "I can walk." I mutter trying to shift into a more manly position.

"More like hobble, take those." He says shifting me back into my original position. I swallow the pills begrudgingly. "What are they for anyway?" He asks jumping up the fire escape effortlessly.

I take a long drink of the luke warm water before answering. "A human leg takes weeks to heal normally, but since Hunters are scarce we can't be out of commission that long. So my bosses hired a team and they invented the pills. Now all you have to do is reset your leg, put it in a brace or splint and it heals overnight. Only side effect is they make you tired."

"Interesting..." He climbs soundlessly through my shattered window and lays me on the couch. He kneels beside me, laying his head on my chest. "Kyo... I have to go back. He's looking for me. I feel it."

My heart tightens. "Don't."

"I have to. I can't let him find you yet."

"The sun will rise soon, you can't leave."

His sad eyes lock onto mine, pleading with me silently. "I can't stay here."

And I know I've lost. I couldn't fight a kitten off right now, let alone a powerful vampire lord. I pull his face up to mine gently pressing my lips to his. His tounge shoots in my mouth, caressing every surface it can touch. His cold hands slide up my arms, coming to rest on my neck as he climbs on top of me. Fangs brushing my bottom lip as he breaks the kiss, making my pulse race. Our eyes meet again and I'm the happiest I've ever been.

He smiles softly, as if thinking the same thing, kissing my forehead.

"I'll come back to you, though hell should stand in my way."

And then he's gone.

_Haru_

"Someone's in trouble!" Shigure announces in a sing song voice as I walk into the compound. "All the feedlings are out looking for you. Hatori even injured one." I barely notice him and walk into Hatori's house.

"I'm back." I call walking up the stairs. Hatori's by my side in a second, gabbing one of my hands to stop me.

"Where've you been?" He asks looking me over.

"Out."

His face contorts as if he's just smelt something repulsive. "You smell filthy."

I blush, offended by the remark, then remember tonights events. "I ran into a lycan." His face relaxs, but he doesn't dare pull me in for a hug.

"I'm glad you're safe. I really was worried." He turns and walks back down the stairs, but stops and looks back up at me. "Will you be joining me today?"

"Of course." I answer stiffly. "Just let me shower, I smell like dog." A couple hours ago I'd have been overjoyed by his offer... but now? I walk into my suite calmly, stripping down and stepping into my shower. As the hot stream hits me I relax. I always wake before Hatori. I'd leave as soon as the sun set.

I dress quicly in clean clothing, black jeans, sleeveless black and white button up. The usual. Black and white are really the only colors that look any good on me unfortunately.

My mind wanders back to Uotani and what she said as I make my way downstairs...

"Hatori?" I ask walking in to his bedroom. He turns to me, a smile playing on his lips. He gently wraps me in his arms kissing the top of my head.

"Yes?"

"What's a Lamia?"

His body freezes. "What?"

"I overheard Shigure talking about them today. What are they?" He lets go of me slowly, pulling me toward his casket.

"Time for bed." He climbs in and holds a hand out for me.

I look down at him, ignoring his hand. "I want to know."

He sighs grabbing my hand. "It's a lesser demon the Sohma clan keeps in check. Now get into bed."

"How come I've never known about them?" I ask still refusing to move.

"I didn't think it was important." He's not looking at me anymore. "The sun rises in five minutes. Please get in."

"Everyone else is always talking about their mortal life... Why can't I remember mine?"

"What's with all these questions all of a sudden? None of this ever mattered to you before. And it doesn't matter now. Get. In."

My heart breaks inside. I was almost hoping he'd give me a straight answer to destroy any doubts I had about him. And now I know...

He is an enemy.

_Kyo_

There is no sound. There is no color except the blood red sky, the air heavy. I'm standing in a makeshift circle, back to back with Uo and a tall black haired woman.

I feel it.

It's coming.

The screaming begins.

There is no hope for us.

_Kyo_

I awake with a start, sweating even though a cold breeze is blowing thourgh the window. Night is about to fall on the city, the sun making one last burst as it begins to sink behind the distant mountain range.

I jump as a sharp beeping sounds out from the corner of my living room.

"Ayame." I breathe the name and carefully get up, my leg stiff and aching. I carefully pull my laptop from behind the bookcase. I plop on the floor, too sore to try and fake grace.

"How's the boyfriend?" He asks as I open it.

"How did-"

"Tohru really is a darling. What an exciting night you had."

Exciting wasn't the word I'd use. "I don't want to deal with you today." I mutter starting to close the notebook.

"I didn't call to chat." He calls out just before it clicks shut. I open it again.

"Then why did you call?" I yawn stretch my arms above my head, listening to the satisfying pops and cracks.

"I bring bad news unfortunately."

I roll my neck. "Cat get stuck in your sewing machine again? Cause I'm not dealing with that crap again."

"The Lamia are on the move." I look back at the computer screen.

"Uo said something about that last night. Did she not get all three?"

He sighs and clicks away at his computer. "You don't understand. They've been running wild for two nights now. According to Sohma officals, they don't understand how the break out occured. "

I sigh. "How many?"

"As many as fifty."

"Shit." I groan and lean forward. "What can we do?"

"Start kissing my ass. As soon as the break reached the boards I called Offical 31 and pleaded your case to him. You're the best Hunter in the area. You've been reinstated, all charges wiped clear.

"I could kiss you right now" I grin, excited. "But you're too damn ugly."

"Don't smother me with graditude yet. There's one more thing." I felt my heart sink. It isn't like him tho let that go. "There have been five reports of Ekek in the area." My heart skipped a beat.

"Ekek? I... thought we wiped them out after the last strike..."

"The reports are legit. One has even been caught on film. It seems like they aren't attacking humans just yet, but an entire pack of werewolves failed to check in this morning. A team was dispatched to their lair, but it was empty. Every thing abandoned and blood everywhere." He paused here and observed my face. "Don't. Don't think about her. Pick up your weapons tonight at headquarters after midnight. We've got work to do."

The computer screen faded to black as he signed off. He had known exactly what I'd been thinking about. My sister face stuck in my mind.

000000

My first year out of the Academy we were bombarded by cases. To the public they were missing people, to Hunters, they were Ekek killings. An Ekek is a winged monster that devours the flesh of humans. They look like angels. Flawless, beautiful faces and perfect body's they even have a 'celestial glow'. That's why people usually don't fear them, often running willingly into their arms and laugh as they're devoured. For a first timer they're a sight to behold, to a seasoned professional they're hideous.

My first encounter with an Ekek is something I'll never forget. I had left the city for some much needed rest with my parents on a camping trip. I walked the perimeter taking extra precations when she appeared. She was beautiful, short golden hair, deep blue almost purple eyes with ivory white wings. She called to me and despite all my training I let my weapon fall and reached her.

My sister Kisa, she was always so shy, always so quiet. And she saw the Ekek for what it was. And for the first time in her life she screamed.

My sister screamed twice that night. The first scream saved my life. The second, announced her death.

That summer I became an expert at hunting the Ekek and I made sure they became extinct.

Or so I thought.

000000

Haru climbed silently though the window as the last of the suns rays dissappeared. He took my lips in a deep soulful kiss. And I knew something was wrong.

As he broke away from me I realized what it was...

We we're both crying.

**00000000**

**This chapter has been rewritten more than I can count... (dead) Note: Lamia and Ekek are both from Philippine mythology. I made Ekek more beautiful than they actually are said to be... and I killed Kisa... I feel kinda horrible about that. Sorry. Read and comment. Please and thank you.**


	6. Pulling Heaven Down

**-sigh- Okay this chapter has some mature material in it. Yaoi, if you really don't know what yaoi is, you probably shouldn't read on. For the naturally curious yaoi is male x male ... well... there is a sex scene in this chapter and their are no woman involved... that clears that up. So if you don't read this and you read on, and are offended and I get a flame I am going to be mad... or at least peeved. It's also sort of poorly written. So no flames on that either. Lol. I'm such a horrible romance/smut writer. **

**I don't own any of these characters. -curses-**

**And thank you to those who leave such wonderful comments. They make me smile! **

_Song lyrics. _**The song isn't mine either. It's owned by Blue October... I don't usally listen to them... huh.**

* * *

_Chapter Six_

_Hatori_

He's gone. Again I wake up alone. For the first time in my existence I feel truly alone. I walk into his suite slowly, sorrow filling me completely. His scent is everywhere, casket open and deserted. "Haru." I whisper aloud into the silence. And then I hear it. The soft call of a bloodsong coming from his bathroom. Beautiful, light, sad. I walk to the bathroom listening carefully.

That's when I recognize it. I burst into the bathroom, shattering the door. I scan the room quickly and find the source. His pants.

I lift them carefully, gagging against the overpowering stink of werewolf. In the pocket. A medical syringe with his blood all over it.

Rage doesn't come close to what I'm feeling right now.

_Kyo_

Brown eyes gaze up at me, soft as if he's been hurt. My anger flares, any trace of sorrow instantly swallowed by a sudden fire. "What has he done?" I growl, placing my hands gently on either side of his face. He turns from me, toying with my brace. I pull my leg to my chest and tear the annoyance off, it's still a bit sore, but its healed. "He's made you cry." Brown eyes meet mine again, still full of anguish. I know I'm about to say something completely mushy and a bit stupid, but I don't hold it back. "I love you. And when you're hurt... my world isn't right..."

_Somewhere, far away from here  
I saw stars, stars that I could reach  
It was a midnight, a silent twilight  
Fell down, beyond the ocean beach_

He looks thrown off by my words, but only for a second. He leans into my open arms and for the first time, I realize how cold he is. His skin so icy beneath my fingertips. His grip tightens slightly as my hand slides slowly up his back. I press my lips to his neck softly, shivering slightly as I warm his skin. His voice is caught somewhere between a gasp and a moan as I slowly work my way to his mouth with small, warm kisses, his arms pulling me as close to him as he can, gently but aggressively.

_I assemble all the sand that cover wedding beaches  
To build a castle so your mom would have a place to stay  
Behind the water slide and down the hill where heaven reaches  
Land and time is left to float away_

I gently tug on his bottom lip with my teeth, taking advantage of his open mouth to slide my tongue inside. Savoring the frigid cavern of his mouth, I pull on the hem of his pants with one hand, quickly unbuttoning his shirt with the other.

I lay him down gently, my hand behind his head. He's panting, eyes a bit frightened. I smile down at him and ask him what's wrong. "You're so warm. I've never had someone so warm against me." He whispers. I lay next to him, propped up on one arm, brushing my fingers across his forehead. His pale hair falls from his face, making a soft, silvery frame. I let my fingers trail down the side of his face, skimming his neck, inching to a stop above his bellybutton. Kissing his shoulder I capture his hand with mine. I don't remember ever treating something so gently, something I know couldn't be broken, but still touching it as though a slight tremble could destroy it.

_So rest assured I have the key to every opening  
To every wishing well that's deep enough to dream_

"I'll stop if you want me too." I whisper not meeting his gaze.

I want to touch him. I need to touch him. But I want him to want it. I _need_ him to want it.

His hand turns my face to his slowly, lips capturing mine in a soft, heart breaking kiss. "Don't ever stop." He whispers, pulling me down to him again.

_I want to show you just how fascinating kissing is  
When earth collides with all the space between_

I smile as he pulls from my hand, hissing, when I finally get his pants off. His lips attack mine hungrily, hands pulling desperatly at my clothing. I sit up and pull my shirt off, tossing it somewhere to the side. He's already got my jeans undone, pulling them out from under me. "Christ!" I shout, falling to the ground. He grins pulling me on top of him again, only a thin layer of cloth between us now.

_I'm reaching farther than I ever have before  
Leaving all who broke your heart upon the shore  
I may be some sort of crazy  
We may be some sort of crazy  
But I swear on everything I have and more_

I work my way down his body with my lips, removing his underwear slowly as I work my way down his thin pale legs, leaving his skin a little warmer with each kiss. It's just the moonlight illuminating the room, but it's enough. He lays before me, chest heaving, looking more like an angel than anything. I smile, my heart softening as I crawl back to his lips. "I love you." I whisper against his lips, squeezing his member softly, making him hiss and rise up against my hand. Sliding back down, I brush against him slightly, eyes fluttering as he moans.

_So never look behind you, spooky people bring you down  
The world is ending there's a party by the bay  
I'll wear my suit and tie when I am  
I am toasting to the way you put that smile upon my face_

I take him in my mouth slowly, fighting the urge to just take him as he cries out in a soft musical cry. He calls my name as I begin to suck and pull, tongue dancing around him, stopping just as he's about to explode.

His voice pushing me, harder and harder until I can't take anymore. I give him one last lick and pull myself up to his face. He kisses me savagely, tears running down his face. "Please" He moans, pulling at my boxers. I help him pull them off the rest of the way.

_Fill up the air balloon and ride with me  
Yeah hell is jealous of the rain  
Make love like time and space Is ending  
While befriending fate's alluring way of putting us to shame_

His icy skin burning against mine as I pull his legs over my shoulders. I'm struck by how perfectly we're positioned. Exactly aligned as if made for each other, like two pieces of a puzzle. I look down at him, tears finally falling from my eyes as I enter him as gently as I can.

_I'm reaching farther than I ever have before  
Leaving all who broke your heart upon the shore  
I may be some sort of crazy  
We may be some sort of crazy  
But I swear on everything I have and more_

We're like fire and ice. Burning. Freezing. All at once.

I cry out, pleasure coursing through my body. I can't breathe. I can't control my body. I can't hear anything but Haru's voice.

_You make the sound of pulling heaven down  
You brought the rain's romantic pour_

Time has stopped. There is nothing but this room. No one but us. No one matters but this moment.

_You make the sound_

Harder and harder. I can't stop.

_You make the sound_

Faster and faster. I can't breathe.

_Of pulling heaven down_

Colors burst behind my eyes as Haru's voice rings out with mine, wrapped in each others names. Something cold spreads on my abdomen as I nearly fall on top of Haru's shaking body. I catch myself with my arms, face just above his. Breathing as heavily as I am he lifts his head up slightly placing a soft kiss my nose.

"Nice." He pants, grinning widely.

"Nice?" I ask incredulously, arms ready to drop.

"Fine." His smile widening. "Fantastic. Amazing. Unbelievable. Call it what you want but that is something we have to do again..." I laugh, finally letting myself fall on to his chest.

We lay there for about an hour, wrapped in a warm comfortable silence. For some reason my body is warm enough to even heat Haru's cold pale skin. Glancing at the clock above the tv I get up slowly. I have thirty minutes to take a shower and meet Ayame at headquarters. "Shower?" I ask looking down at the pale beauty, my body reacting again. I turn away quickly, but not before Haru notices.

An oddly evil grin spreads across his face. "On one condition..."

_Haru_

Kyo's grumbling about being late as we walk quickly down the street. I smile to myself, he certainly wasn't complaining ten minutes ago.

"Why do I get the feeling that smile has evil thoughts behind it?" A familiar voice calls out as we round the corner.

"Hey Shigure." I give a small wave as Kyo comes to a complete halt. I turn around to face him, a small kitchen knife clutched in his left hand. My eyebrows raised in surprise. "When did you..." he only left my sight for two seconds.

"Down Hunter." Shigure joked causing Kyo to growl. "Eeek! It was a joke! Call him off!"

"You can kill him." I state face blank.

"Hey! No!" Shigure dropped to his knees tugging on my hand. "You're mean!"

"This moron kicked my ass the other day? You're kidding me..."

"Speaking of meanie moron... Hatori's looking for you." Shigure said straightening up. "You're in trouble."

"Of course..." I looked at Kyo through the corner of my eye. His fist had tightened, eyes narrowed... and something about him was different... the air around him buzzing angrily. "I'm busy tonight. Tell him that will you?" I slid my arm across Kyo's shoulders, forcing him to walk with me. Shigure's face turned shocked as we past him, eyes almost disbelieving.

As we rounded the corner Shigure's voice sounded cautiously in my head. 'I'm not dying for your good time...'

_Kyo_

"I need you to wait here." I said as we finally reached the grey stone building that served as HQ. "Friendly or not, vampires are not allowed into the building... for obvious reasons." His face seemed to fall slightly, but he leaned against the wall next to the alley. I tried to smile apologetically and gave him a quick kiss.

"Just do your stuff." He whispered finally giving a small grin. I give him a small smile and head towards the door.

I pushed the door open and stepped into the baren hall, approaching the only door slowly. Knocking four times quickly, a small hole appeared, tiny mechanical arm extending.

"Lean forward for retinal scan." A light computerized female voice commanded.

I lean forward and let the small thin ray blind me for a second. Several clicking noises ensued as the doors unlocked, opening into a narrow bright white hallway. Walking to the end of the hall I quickly pricked my finger with my knife and pressed the small dot of blood to the scan screen on the seemingly blank wall.

"Hunter R97706- Approved. Welcome Kyo." The wall hissed open to a scene of chaos. The room was crowded with Hunters, Lovers and Feedlings. Papers scattered, voices raised, several hysterical. My eyes scanned the room a flash of silver, blond and brunette catching my eye.

"Ayame! Uotani! Tohru!" The three turned as I called their names, almost getting trampled by a cart of files as it zoomed by me. "What the hell is going on!?" I shouted shoving my way through the crowd.

"Where've you been! Damn it orangey!" Uotani pulled me to her side before I got swept away by a hoard of people all headed to the armory. "Mass chaos just erupted. Every vampire clan, werewolf pack and demon tribe in North America called in at once."

Uotani turned from me and slammed a ticket down on the counter shouting at a frightened young Feedling. "Hunter R97706 has been fully reinstated! Where the fuck are his weapons!? Hunter ZS2044 ready to pick up LAST weeks order!? What's the hold up?!"

"Well," The poor Feedling squeaked, typing away on her computer. "um, there's been a slight mix up with the armory."

"SLIGHT MIX UP!?"

"B-B-but I can straighten it up right away!" The poor girl looked ready to pass out.

"So what's happening?" I asked, having to shout over the noise.

"Well- oof- they- damn it!" I ducked as the psycho blond pulled a gun from her skirt and fired it into the air five times. Silence fell across the vast, crowded room instantly. "Everyone just needs to calm the fuck down." She growled, slipping the gun back in it's holster. "Now. Where was I?"

"Uh, something about the clans of North America." I whispered a little afraid.

"Oh yeah, every clan, pack, and tribe lost control of every lesser demon species in North America. Thousands of demons, even the undead, released at once... Nationwide."

"Released?"

"According to every report I can gather, they were all just released by someone. No forced exits on pens, no broken chains, ground dug up not clawed through," Ayame announced fingers flying over his keyboard. "All released at 12:43 pm... very peculiar."

"Peculiar? It's god damn annoying!"

"It's only one fifteen... how did everyone get here so quickly?"

Finally Tohru looked up, her face pale and drained. "Word travels fast when people think they're doomed." She gave a faint smile and returned to her keyboard as well.

Great first the Ekek and now this.

A thin boney woman brought a metal rack to our group, asking us to sign for our things and leave as quickly as possible. I felt my face redden as I quickly signed my number and grabbed my bags of expensive and custom equipment. Ayame stood and followed me and Uo out the door, Tohru trailing, neither of them taking their eyes off their screens.

As soon as we hit the main hall, I quickly suited up, pulling on every weapon that would fit on my body. "Why are you two glued to those damn machines?" I asked making sure everything was fully loaded.

Ayame sighed clicking a bit more. "The monsters on the move... all headed somewhere..."

"But it's oddly quiet..."Tohru interrupted. "For a mass breakout there has been minimal attacks."

"Yes, Average two per minute."

Abruptly both their computers erupted in a soft high pitched wailing. "What's that?" I asked.

The two Lovers looked at one another, faces paleing.

"What's going on?" I asked again, voice echoing through the main hall.

Ayame cleared his throat and looked at me. "Both our computers placed the predicted clash point 20 miles from here..."

My eyes narrowed. "So that means..."

"Who ever released them..."

"Is here in this city."

**

* * *

**

XD yay. On to chapter seven! -evil grin- Don't get too caught up on one theory of what's going on...


	7. And It Begins

**Okay, sorry for the wait, but I had some trouble with my story showing up on other sites without my knowledge... (the only thing that was changed was the hair and names) and almost dropped the story, but thank goodness for nice mods. **

**There's a Butterfly poll on my main page. Please drop by and vote. Thank you!**

**These characters are not mine, but the story is, so please respect that.**

**Oh! And I actually had someone ask about Kyo's bloodsong, but they weren't signed in... So I can't really remember who asked but the song I used for a model was Yiruma's beautiful 'Moonlight' ... it did make me cry...**

* * *

_Kyo_

The sounds of the city fade away around me, like it knows whats coming. I look over at the beautiful entity beside me. His eyes catch mine, blank and hollow. His hand reaches for me and I take it. As soon as his hand touches mine he flinches away momentarily, but still wraps his fingers around mine. I look at the only group of friends I've ever known ahead of us. Ayame and Tohru refused to stay at headquarters with the other Lovers and are determined to fight with us. "Kyo?" I look back at Haru. His eyes are narrowed slightly, watching me carefully.

"Yeah?" I ask, looking away again.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Fine. Why?"

He doesn't answer and the silence continues to grow. I know I just lied to him. He knows I just lied to him. Somethings wrong. I can feel it inside me... Somethings changing.

_Haru_

"Somethings wrong."

The blond woman looks at me like I'm crazy. We're on the roof of Kyo's apartment building, the others downstairs, fitting together every weapon they can find. "The worlds going to shit. What do you call that?"

"He's too warm."

Her eyes become cold in an instant. "He... Kyo?"

"He smells different, his body burns, I didn't notice until just earlier..." Her face is blank, her eyes lifeless. "At first I thought... And then I noticed afterwards he's body just kept getting warmer and warmer."

She sits on the ground slowly, as if in a trance. I can hear her heartbeat pounding furiously in her chest. I don't know what else to say so I sit beside her and stare up at the sky. I know she wants to say something in protest. Some alternative to what was happening to her friend, to my lover, but there is none. The wind shifts. She's crying. I can smell the salt in the wind.

There is nothing we can do.

"This is my fault." She growls out angrily. "I didn't give him the vaccine in time. I was too busy joking around."

I know I should comfort her, say something to dispel her self hatred. But I can't think of anything. I just let her cry beside me, my tears joining hers on the tar covered roof.

_Hatori_

The Sohma clan is gone. The compound is empty, save for the Lamia desperately searching for a way out of the concrete gate. I can feel their hunger rising, they know freedom is so close... all they want it is out.

"Hatori!" I look up as Shigure bursts through my study door. He grabs my hand and kneels beside me. "You have to leave. It's too dangerous."

"I can't." I stand and walk to the window. "Haru isn't here yet."

"Quit being stubborn. He's probably the safest vampire in this area, he's with-"

"That Hunter. I know. He's safest with me. Not an incompetent human!" My anger flares. "And besides, the Lamia aren't headed towards the city."

He walks up beside me and peers over my shoulder. "What do you mean? That's the closest food source for them."

I point to the group of demons trying to claw through the wall. "The City's east, they're headed west."

"Why?" He breathes as he realizes I'm right. "Why would they do that...?"

I walk back to my seat and sit. "Their Master is over there."

"Master?" He's still peering out the window as if they'll stop and explain things to him.

"Their saviour. The one who set them free."

_Kyo_

I gather the equipment slowly as if in a daze, watching as the two Lovers try to contact those willing to fight. I can hear every clack of keys, they're getting frustrated. "HQ is trying to evacuated everyone quietly. They're more concerned at getting people out than trying to fight." Tohru announces, voice falling in defeat.

I look up as Haru and Uotani climb back through the window, the crunching of glass oddly loud.

"Where'd you two go?" I ask stretching my back. They don't answer. They both look as if the world has already ended, eyes on me, hard and empty. And then it happens so fast. Haru's cold hands are around me, his face turned, hissing at the three behind him. "What the-"

I stretch to look over his head. Uotani has her gun pointed at us, face emotionless. The two on the couch are frozen in shock.

"Uo-chan!" Tohru screams.

"What's wrong with you? Put the gun down Arisa!" Ayame moves toward her slowly. And then I notice it. She's crying. I can smell it in the air...

She drops into a crouch, gun pointed at the floor. "I can't do it." She whispers, tossing the gun aside.

Tohru's at her side in a second. "What's wrong?" She's crying as well. Ayame looks at me as puzzled as I am.

The room is so quiet everyone hears the soft mummer.

Werewolf.

Ayame pulls out his med-kit and rushes to my side. Werewolf? But who? I look around at all the faces in the room. They're all staring at me. "Whoa! What?" Ayame's slender hands force a cold thin thermometer in my mouth, quickly swiping the inside of my mouth with a cotton swab in the process. "Have you all gone-" The loud screech of the thermometer interrupts me. Too fast. It was only in a few seconds. Haru pulls it out and tosses it to Tohru's waiting hands.

"Hot" She breathes out.

"It's gotta be broken! You never change those things Ayame." Even I can tell I'm pleading, searching for another reason.

Still shielded by Haru, flat against the wall, I watch the cotton swab get covered in a thick serum and placed in a vile of blue liquid.

Time slows. No ones breathing. All eyes on the vile of blue.

'Turn red. Turn red.' I pray silently heart pounding in my chest. 'Red for human. Turn red.'

Green.

_Haru_

The sound of the glass vile shattering on the floor is the only sound. I turn to Kyo frantically. "What does green mean? What does that mean!" I shout shaking him.

"Lycan is green... werewolf is green..." I don't know who says it, I don't care who said it. I search crimson eyes frantically, begging him to tell me it's a lie. His arms wrap around me slowly, pulling me closer to him.

"My last chance to be with you..." He whispers softly into my ear. "and I blew it."

He kisses me softly, slowly as if for the last time.

"Do it." He whispers, still looking at me.

Do what? Something shuffles behind me. And I hear the loud click of a gun being cocked back. I can't breathe. If only I hadn't said anything... If only I had kept it to myself.

"This room seems to be full of idiots."

I turn at the sound of a new voice. A young boy standing by the window, short brown hair and pale skin. "Who the hell are you?" Uotani demands, gun now pointed at him.

"What do you think Rin?"

A tall, pale woman appears in the window, long black hair spilling across her shoulders. "They must be idiots. They want to stay and fight."

"Oh!" Tohru pips. "Hunter Q30067, and Lover Hiro. They sent me a reply to the post for those willing to fight."

"Why would you shoot him?" The woman, Rin asked eyes locking onto Kyo. No one hurried to respond as if dodging the reason themselves. "Taking him out would leave us even more short handed." She steps into the room, knocking the broken peices of glass around with her boot. "If he's turning into a werewolf, don't you think that would give us an edge?"

"But... If I become a werewolf... won't I..."

"Become a savage?" Rin and Hiro's eyes flashed gold. "We take offense to that." The hair stood up on the back of my neck, but a sudden happiness filled me. The room seemed to grow lighter as I turned back to Kyo, tears beginning to fall. His eyes caught mine as our lips met again.

"Don't cry." He whispered, arms pulling me to him.

"Idiots." Hiro muttered. "What's our strategy?" I heard him ask as the voices slipped away. The moment I thought I'd never see him again, the moment I thought I'd have to see him die, was the worst thing I'd ever had to endure. The thought of him leaving me again, this time to never come back, was the darkest moment of my life that I could recall.

"Don't cry..." Kyo whispered again, touching my tears with his lips.

"I can't stop." I answer, letting him kiss my eyelids.

"You wanna catch the Vampire virus as well?" Hiro called, watching us. We both smiled and broke apart walking over to the others, hands of fire and ice clasped together tightly.

_Kyo_

"We know they're headed here," I said pointing to the map. "But a better stand-off point would be along this area. In this tiny valley, no surprises." My thoughts are clear now. For some reason I can think without having to remind myself whats going on.

"What about this point?" Hiro asks pointing to an open field next to the city. "Clear coverage, the farmers have been evacuated, so no human around to get in the way. The valley could be a hazard."

I look over at the young boy as I realize he's right. "How old are you? Or do you have a growth disorder?"

Crap. The room goes silent. "I mean you look to young to be a Lover."

He glares at me. "Are you implying a child is too dumb to do anything? Or that adults are superior in their ways of thinking? You are a great subject in that theory." He sneers.

"I wanna kill you." I growl, trying to control the rage slowly building with in me.

"His point plan is better." Uotani says.

"I know that!" I snap. "That's why I asked!"

"He's much older than you." Rin said calmly.

"Okay. We all agree this is the starting point." Ayame takes over, pointing to Hiro's suggested point, trying not to laugh. "If only we had another team of three..." He mutters. "We need team outfits too."

"How would that help?"

"We'd be saving the world in style."

I reach over and smack him on the back of his head. "Thank you." Hiro growls as someone knocks on the door.

"I got it!" Tohru calls out, running from the kitchen. Haru appears behind her, gabbing the knob before she does.

"It's for me." He says, gently pushing her back toward the kitchen. He catches my puzzled look and smiles. "I thought we could use help."

Help? I think as he opens the door. The room is flooded with a cold presence as the two vampires walk in. "Shigure, Yuki." Haru announces them as they walk into the room, bowing gently to Yuki. The room is dead silent as the two stand there watching us carefully. I can feel the tension in the room.

"Yuki... Sohma..." Ayame breathes out, standing slowly. The silver haired vampire looks at him. They have an odd resembleance to each other I note. "You are just adorable!!" Ayame gushes, rushing to give the startled vampire a hug. "I want to dress you up!! So beautiful! How do you feel about dresses?"

"Get off of me!!" The poor vampire shouts breaking free of Ayame's arms and hiding behind Shigure, who's laughing like this sort of thing happens all the time. "I thought you said none of them would try to kill me!?" He yells at Haru.

"I didn't think this one would be the problem." Haru answers, taking a seat next to me. "Well, this solves your problem. Two teams of three." I look over at him as he lays his head on my shoulder.

"How? Me, Rin, and Uotani. Yuki, Shigure... That leaves us one short." I say, counting it off in my head. Still one short... unless he means. "No." I pull his face to mine. "No." I say it again. "You're staying here, with the Lovers."

"It makes the most sense. I'm able to fight. I will fight." He answers, pulling from hand.

"The more fighters we have, the more likely we'll be able to come out of this alive." Hiro says, doodling absent minded.

"Stay out of this!" I growl. "We already have the advantage. The released creatures should be hungry and unable to think well, all of us are in prime condition-"

"Don't underestimate your opponent. You have to plan like the enemy has the advantage, that he is one step ahead of you. If you go in blindly like that, you could make a very fatal mistake." Yuki's voice rings out clearly. My anger soars. "And don't underestimate Haru. I've stood by him in countless battles, he's stronger than he looks." I'm losing this fight. "He will not die. You may take my word for that."

"What's the word of a vampire worth?" I growl.

"What is my word worth to you?" Haru asks. My anger shatters. I realize what I've just said.

"Haru... I, I mean... That's not what I meant..." I turn away from him, angry at myself this time. "He can fight..." I whisper, "but if anything happens to him... It's your clan that will suffer." I glare at the Sohma prince.

_Haru_

Everything is planned to the best of our abilities. Every situation, every different scenario, everything thought through. Kyo holds me closely to him, only letting me go when necessary, as if he'll never get another chance. "Last call." Ayame announces, checking all of Kyo's gear as Hiro and Tohru focus on their Hunters. "Clash point is in ten minutes, you have to be at the fighting points in thirty." He pulls on the holster Kyo made me put on and checks the revolver. "Okay. Everyone seems to be in good condition." He turns to Yuki and Shigure. "Are you sure you don't need any weapons?"

"Our bodies are weapons." Yuki answers. Ayame smiles at him and turns back to his computer. "Okay, fighters set out in five."

Kyo turns towards me, grabbing my hand. "If anything happens... If it gets out of control... Leave. Just leave, come here. Okay?" I grin and kiss him.

"Don't worry about me. Just take care of yourself mutt."

"I was getting used to kitty." He kisses me again and pulls me into his arms.

"Ahem. May I barrow Haru for a moment?" Ayame asks, pulling me into the kitchen before Kyo has time to answer. He pulls out the revolver again and begins to pull it apart. "This is a weapon Kyo special ordered. One of the most powerful in stock. If you fire this I have to warn you, the kick is extremely powerful. The points are hallow and can blow a hole in any creature... Be careful with this. Kyo has never used it before... Not that he uses any of his weapons really..." He hands it back to me, completely reassembled.

"Do as he says. If it becomes too much come back here. Lovers are equipped with some combat experience. In a fight like this we'd just be in the way..." He laughs. "But, ever since Kyo has become a Hunter... I haven't seen his smile in a long time. Thank you."

"Thank you?" I ask, replacing the gun in the holster. "Why?" I look back at the man, but he just smiles and leads me back into the living room.

"Times up." The Lovers announce in one voice. "Return to us." The Lovers bow to their Hunter as we leave.

_Elsewhere..._

I look down at the mass of creatures, all watching me their master, their saviour, their God. I smile at them, my lovely following.

"For centuries!" My voice rings out loud and clear, my subjects hanging on my every word. "For centuries you have been locked up and looked down upon! You have been treated as dirt and almost forgotten by the human race, imprisoned by your own kind! Starved and denied your birth rite! Treated as slaves and burdens!

"For centuries you have been kept from your lands! But now, now you are given the opportunity take back that which has been taken from you! Your freedom is close! Only a few stand between us and victory! I set you free because we are alike! We are the same! Trapped by the rules set before us by insolent humans!! Our food telling us what to do goes against the natual order!!

"No longer! The revolution is now! We'll take back that which is ours! We'll take it back with our own hands! We'll take it back with force!! This is the start of a new world! This is our rebirth! This is our time!!

"The humans have run from you!! Taken flight!! They know we are the superior race!! We shall teach them suffering!! We will teach them pain!! Rise up my brethren!! Rise up and let them know who will rule this earth now!!

"Follow me!! Follow me and I will lead you to our utopia!! I shall make your every wish come true!!"

My smile grows as they chant my name. Every voice letting the world know who now rules this world.

_Kyo_

My eyes linger on the spot were he stood only seconds before. My lips still feel his against mine. Hand still cold from his. I keep telling myself he'll be fine. He's survived thousands of years, he can survive this now. But my heart won't settle down.

We quickly get into the planned formation. Back to back in circle. The night is quiet. The moon almost full. I steal a glance at the two Hunters behind me. How is it we are the only ones to go against orders and stand and fight?

The air gets heavier.

The faint screeching of demons makes its way to my ears. Here they come.

I am ready.

**00000000**

**And the one who set them free is... You gotta wait until the next chapter. I'm excited. This story is my favorite... :p Anyway, thank you for reading. And please visit the poll... I really am stuck...**


	8. The Silent Battle

**A/N: Don't own these characters! and sorry it took forever... **

**(edit) Oh my gracious earth... I just went through this again and... so many spelling errors. This Linux crap makes me feel stupid lol. But I realized that if I had a problem with reading it like that, then others must have a hell of a time trying to make out what I was trying to say. That's what I get for posting before re-reading. ANYWAY... enjoy this more correctly spelled version of the eighth chapter. **

* * *

_Kyo_

"Well," Uotani huffed "in the immortal words of Queen, who wants to live forever... no offense to the non mortals amongst us." I actually felt myself crack a smile despite our dire situation.

"Unless you hope to make them laugh themselves to death, quit cracking jokes." Rin's unamused voice rang out softly, making my smile only widen. Impending death must be disorienting me...

"Now now girlies, play nice." Ayame's voice crackled through our headsets. I practically felt both women frown.

"I have a feeling you're going to regret that sentence after this is over." I growl, pulling out my standard 8-inch bowie. I glance back at my comrades, each wielding a weapon that seemed to be the embodiment of their personality. Rin, a long silver sword, almost as tall as her with an intricately engraved wolf's head at the hilt. Uotani, a long barreled black six shooter.

I let out a long breath and raised my knife to my face as our voices raise as one to the ever advancing line.

_I carry my blade with Pride  
I will march into battle  
Be the odds fair or foul  
With my heart and soul  
I will defend the weak  
Who believe they are strong  
With my body and blood  
I will defeat the evil  
That walks amongst us  
I will use my blade with Pride  
I will create a better world  
For humans with innocent  
And tainted hearts alike  
I will die with my blade held high  
And Honor in my heart_

There was silence all around us, even the creatures of the night had fallen silent to the Hunter's Oath. Something many demons never hear twice. And now they understood. We would rather die than let them pass. I swallowed once and nodded. "Here we go." I mumbled and we shot off in our different directions, towards our certain death.

_Hatori_

'That moronic son of a bitch!'

My Haru...

On the FRONT line.

A roar erupted through me, the lifeless body of the Lamia shaking with its force.

This time I will kill him... and be rid of him forever.

_Haru_

"He'll be fine." Yuki whispered to me. I don't trust my voice, I can only nod. "He does this for a living. He was trained for this for years."

"Yeah sunshine, relax. I mean I'm sure he's an excellent Hunter... Well, when he almost lost to me the other day, I'm sure that was a fluke. And when he got infected with the wolves virus, it's possible it was a fluke too... Man, your man has been havin' alota flukes lat-"

I heard the satisfying snap of Shigure's shoulder blade beneath my fist. "Bastard." I growled almost inaudibly as he dropped to the ground at my feet, clutching his wounded arm.

_Kyo_

The adlet, wolf-human hybrid, let out one last whine as I snapped it's neck, hopping of its giant shoulders as it fell to the ground; adding to the countless fallen creatures around my feet. Just as my feet connected with the grass, I was swept into the air. The flesh on my arms and neck flared instantly, blisters quickly forming, as the Candieja, fiery demon, held me ten feet above the ground. "God damn it!" I gasped, spitting in her eyes. She screeched loudly, dropping me in favor of scratching furiously at her face.

I landed hard on my side, rolling with it to try and keep from her reach. Pulling blessed water from the river Styx, I blindly threw it above me. He deafening screech of fury and pain told me I was right on the mark.

Ashes rained down on me as something sickeningly slick smashed into my side. "Fucking bitch..." I gasped feeling one of my ribs snap. An allu, my hands slid across it's featureless face. Finding nothing to grab onto, I pulled my knife from it's sheath and jammed it easily through it's papery thin skin. The stench of it's foul black blood filling the night air.

Pain seared through my body as teeth sank into my shoulder. Instinctively my scream stopped in my throat and my hands flew to the pain. My fingers sunk into soft flesh. My body curled, knees almost buckling under the lamia's weight, and pulled it over my shoulders, almost biting off my tounge as I felt it take a nice chunk of my flesh down with it. It grinned up at me, grey teeth covered in my blood. "Stupid fuck." I spat driving my heel down through it's smiling face with a deeply satisfying crunch.

Shrieks of excitement rose from the crowd of beasts around me. My flowing blood, not quite tainted with the blood of wolves, flew to them.

"Good goin' orangy!" Uotani's voice broke through my headset followed by Rin's bored agreement.

"Couldn't have been more careful could you?"

"Lay off! God damn it! It was bound to happen!" I yelled at them, quickly pulling out my ring knives as the ravenous entities surrounded me with a new and more powerful hunger. I growled feeling more inconvenienced than scared. "Oh fuck me..."

_Haru_

They fall easily. Like cutting down reeds. "Kyo was right. We do have the advantage... It's like they're possessed or something." I mutter ripping another creature in half and throwing it aside. I briefly note I really have no idea the species of demons I've been tearing through.

But then again I really don't care.

Suddenly they stopped. All turning from us to the north. My comrades used their distraction to continue to rip through their numbers devastatingly fast, but I couldn't move. Floating on the air. A blood song I could never forget made its way down the field and suddenly I couldn't breathe.

"Kyo."

Yuki and Shigure came to a complete halt as the blood song finally came to them.

Abruptly He was before me. I had made no conscious effort to move, but my heart had made my body move. Blood flowed freely from a deep wound on his shoulder, but other than that he was fine. Still standing, still fighting, still alive.

"What are you doing?" He gasped as he caught sight of me while effectively beheading a tall insect looking creature with a humans face.

"Checking on you!" I breathed, anger setting in. "I heard your blood song and thought... Geez." I saw him smile as he lifted me from the ground and swung around, sending his foot clear through the creatures head behind me.

"Don't worry about me," he whispered licking my ear as he set me down. "just pay attention to what's really going on."

If I could've, I'm sure I would have blushed.

_Kyo_

I felt myself blush at my bold behavior but brushed it off as another lamia jumped at me. I dodged and swung my arm around. It's scream immediately cut off by a sicking gurgle. The incentive of having Haru a few feet behind me was showing.

A giggle above me made me stop short. A giggle I've been dying to forget.

Everything moved in slow motion as my head tilted upward.

Kisa.

My sister hovered above me, looking as if she never left, her wings of white and gold pumping so softly they shouldn't have been keeping her up. My heart shuddered. "Kyo." She whispered, extending her hand to me.

I couldn't speak. So she had become an angel. I felt my weapons drop and lifted a hand to her. "Come with me Kyo. It's so lonely without you."

I felt my head move in consent and briefly heard my name called from far away.

"Just us again big brother."

There it was again. My name. I know the voice, but for some reason I can't place it. I reach for her with more desperation. We both smile as our fingertips brush.

Suddenly her face rips apart, her blood splattering my face, burning my skin. "Kyo!" the voice calls desperately again.

And the illusion is broken. "Haru." I gasp as the ekek with my sisters stolen face twitches lifelessly at my feet. I fall to my knees desperately trying to pull her into my arms before she disappears. The tears forming in my eyes vanish in anger. They stole her soul. They killed her horribly then stole her soul...

"Haru," I look up at him in time to see a Bukavac, six legged monster, pull back its head to strike him.

"Haru!" I screamed and then he was gone.

The bukavac looked just a surprised as I did. My eyes scanned the crowd quickly when something hit my stomach sending me flying through the air. I landed hard on an adlet, feeling it's spine snap at the force. I got to my feet quickly, pulling another knife from the sheath on my ankle, still searching the crowd for Haru.

A tall black haired vampire caught my eyes, Haru unconscious in his arms. I didn't recognize the beautiful vampire who held him, but I instantly knew him from the gentle way he held Haru.

Hatori.

"Put him down." I growled, concentrating on keeping my breathing even, my arms shaking from the force of it.

He sneered at me, quickly disabling the creatures around us with his glare and powerfully angry aura. Those closest to us disintegrating with painful screams and howls. "Just what exactly were you thinking? What could have possessed you to think you should put the life of my most precious Haru in such danger?" His voice like acid as he pulled my gun from Haru and crushed it and the tracer beneath his foot.

And again I thought of my own pain for having him involved in this fight.

"And if he had died, did you think you could go on living?"

My anger, though it seemed impossible, swelled. "No, I would have killed myself the moment he ceased to be."

His face lost all composure as anger swept through it. "You presume to think-"

"I know more than you think I do Altair." A hint of surprise showed in his violet eyes. "You stole his humanity from him. You stole him from me many times. And I intend to pay you back for every life I lost by your hands and every ounce of sadness you have caused him." His anger broke, his face bewildered. "The Gods are on _our_ side if you hadn't noticed."

He bared his fangs at me and growled. "You forget that I am a God!"

And then he was gone. Only his scent, vanishing on the air, was left. I heard myself scream and I didn't falter as it transformed into a long howl. The pain from the wound in my shoulder vanished instantly. The creatures around me suddenly fell back, their ghastly faces distorted with a terror as they tried to turn from me. Let them run, I thought, my anger redirecting itself to the things closest to me. I tore through their numbers quickly, the foul blood filling my jaws and clinging to my claws. Everyone. Everyone would pay for this.

_"Keep your anger in check."_

I stopped as a voice filled my head, swinging my head around to try and drive it out.

_"Don't lose control. He wouldn't wish for it."_

I growled. How would they know what he wanted?

_"He loves you and you will find him. I will help you."_

And instantly calm flooded my body. The array of colors and scents became normal as I felt the Earth shift and the bare skin of my hands grasped the grass. "Much better don't you agree?" I looked up at the owner of the voice.

"Who are you?" I gasped, trying to breathe around the blood in my mouth, much more potent in my human mouth.

He smiled down at me with a small smile that looked a bit uncomfortable, his black hair and black eyes so familiar, but I knew with absolute certainty I had never met him before. "I am called Megumi. I believe you know my 'sister'."

"Sister?" I gasp, keeping a wary eye on the hoards of frozen creatures around us.

"Saki. Or she announced herself as Hanajima. I am one other part to our trio. The Muse of the present." Great. Just what I need. Another fucking Muse. "Saki's interest with you and the immortal Haru is hard not to become absorbed into. Much like a day time drama."

I growl at my distaste for being compared to a soap-opera. "Why are you here?"

"To help you. This battle will be ending shortly." He extends his hand, a card held nonchalantly towards me. "Sing to me and I will come."

And then he was gone. The shrieks of the creatures around me told me time had once again continued. "Kyo!!" A voice suddenly screamed into my ear.

"Ah! What the hell Ayame?" I shouted standing.

There was silence on the other end and then a quick release of air from several people. "Scared the hell outta us Orangy." Uotani murmured, the sounds of her gun almost drowning out her voice.

"You went into a rage and broke through your final bits of human bonds." Rin's came next a sickening slice accompanying her voice.

"Much quicker than I've ever seen. You shouldn't have fully changed until the next full moon." Came Hiro's. "A very strong and powerful rage."

"We thought you would be lost to it." Rin said again. I tried to pay attention while still fighting, but just went with ignoring them until Ayame's voice tentively filled my ear.

"Haru's trace is gone... Completely destroyed."

A hollow feeling ripped through me, followed quickly by pain and anger. "I know. I saw it."

Silence filled the airwaves. Only the sounds of fighting filled the air. "Kyo." Several voices started, but stopped and let Tohru continue. "I'm so sorry."

"Everyone just shut up and let me concentrate." I growled, my voice hard and a single tear falling from my eye.

00000

The fight continued, despite what Megumi had said, for an hour after his departure. "God, is there no end to them?" I heard Uotani gasp, her voice lined with a fatigue I should have felt.

"Concentrate Uo-chan, their numbers have gone from a thousand to little over a hundred. We're lucky no one has been-" Her voice cut off. But my mind finished the line for her. _No one has been lost._

"Stop!" A voice boomed through the air making the wary creatures stop fighting and turn towards it's source. I continued to cut them down and heard Uotani and Rin do the same. "You would continue to fight though they are defenseless?" The voice sneered. "I guess it's to be expected from humans. Such vile and underhanded creatures."

"These monsters do the same to those who don't even know a fight is coming." I called back, finally stopping and waited for the person to appear.

"My subjects would never do such a thing unless the humans made it impossible for them to live otherwise." A tall thin woman made her way into our view. Eyes blacker than anything I'd ever seen before with hair to match, an elegantly draped dress covering her figure.

Yuki and Shigure were at my side in a second, carrying Rin and Uotani easily.

"Akito." Yuki spit.

"When did you become a woman?" Shigure whistled and was silenced by Yuki's glare.

"Your silly little vampire lords hold onto their legends so tightly they see exactly what they are told by them. It's much easier to slip in and become undetected of anything if you are a male, since all the undoing of man is a womans fault. And all of their silly little subjects believe what ever they are told without even realize they are being told anything. I could not have gotten anywhere if I looked like a woman. I learned that the first time I tried to take back my throne. As a man, everything was laid before me, everything I needed to get to my rightful place."

I saw Yuki's face go pale. "What do you know?" I whispered to him.

"Deneb, destroyed in the last war for the Children of Night and Shadows. Or thought to be destroyed..."

"You vampires can't do anything right can you?"

"The founder of your organization is the one who supposedly destroyed her."

She laughed like she had a bad taste in her mouth. "Oh yes. Abraham Van Helsing... Never faltering. Gallant. Handsome in his younger years. Too bad he had a weak spot for me. Well, bad for you anyway."

"What is your purpose in this?" Yuki asked, wary.

"To take what is rightfully mine!" She screeched. "There were not seven! There were eight! I was the eighth, driven from my throne because I had no misconceptions when it came to humans. They are inferior. They are food. And they should know their place in this world."

Yuki frowned as if the idea hurt him... or hit home. "And do you still have the scar Anubus gave you for your ideas?"

Akito frowned. "Anubus always was soft." She whispered. At that moment her eyes swept across what was left of her army. My eyes followed. Every creature was bowed to her. Her expression suddenly turned fierce. "We concede this battle, but you will not be so luck next time." And with that she vanished, her army with her.

_Haru_

I awoke in an enormous room decorated in gold and blood red. The dark wood coffin big enough for three people with elbow room. I sat up groggily and tried to shake the feeling of emptiness from it. Suddenly I was at a loss for words. Kyo. Kyo was about to be destroyed... what happened after that? Was he okay? Panic flooded the room as I didn't even try to keep it in check.

I got up carefully and paused. The scent of this room stopped me. It was human, not even tainted human.

"Your awake."

I turned to the voice. "H-Hatori..."

"Are you alright? I'm lucky that Hunter didn't get you killed." His words hung there. He'd been to the battle field then.

"Where's Kyo?" I asked, surprised my voice was able to sound nonchalantly.

"Dead."

I fell to my knees. "What?" Numbness swept over me. Dead. Dead and gone forever. And then rage pushed it aside. "What did you do to him!" I screamed, my aura flooded the room and knocked things from their place. "You killed him didn't you? You killed him again!!"

"I did nothing to him." Hatori whispered, arms wrapping around me, pulling me to his broad chest. "The ekek claimed him as her own."

My tears fell onto his shoulder, staining his white shirt, my arms hanging limply. He began to kiss my tears away and finally made his way to my mouth. Our clothes made their way to the floor and his body pressed against me. But I couldn't feel it. I couldn't feel anything. My entire body was numb. My mind numb. I didn't want to be touched. But nothing mattered anymore.

Kyo was dead.

* * *

**Finally. It took forever to figure out how I wanted this to go. I know that was a very unclimactic meeting with Akito... And fight scene left much to be desired. Thanks for those that voted on the poll, thank you for all the lovely comments, and thanks for reading my story! You guys are awesome! Leave me more comments? **


	9. Blood, Wishes, And Memories

_**Chapter Nine** _

_Kyo_

"What do you mean sing to him?" The card in Ayame's hand shimmered as the light caught it. It was simple, like a hardened piece of tinfoil, but sturdy like a slice of wood. No one had spoke when I told them what had happened between Hatori and I, and the silence seemed to deepen when I told them of Megumi. Uotani frowned and sighed, standing and popping her neck.

"Try singing a song!" Tohru whispered excitedly. She seemed to be the only one who felt that Haru being with Hatori wasn't a bad thing... and I hadn't even told the others of our history.

I saw Uo smile before quickly turning her face from me and Ayame cover his mouth with his hand as if trying to stifle a giggle. I snatched the card from his outstretched hand and stormed off to the kitchen. I knew I couldn't sing. They didn't have to remind me!

I let out a big breath and began singing to the card, stopping abrutly as something Haru said showed itself in my memory.

I ran back into the living room, pulling a knife from the table, and out onto the fire escape, quickly dashing up to the roof. I heard the others stumbling to keep up. When they finally made it, I was already at the center, pulling the sharp steel knife across my wrist.

"Kyo!"

I felt Ayame grab my wrists trying to keep me from further harm, but I brushed his hands off quickly and pulled the Tarot card out Hanajima had left at my feet just the other night, and the silver one her 'brother' Megumi gave me hours ago. Without a word I let my blood pour over the two and let them drop to the ground.

_'Why does your blood-song seem so familiar to me?'_

White mist rose from both cards, covering our feet and rising quickly to our knees. The others jumped, shocked. Even the cocky little brat Hiro had a slight fear shoot across his face. I stood stoticly, trying not to appear uncomfortable that my wrist had just sealed itself shut, as the two muses covered in black rose from the ground.

_Haru_

My mind fights against itself. Despair and desperation warring against one another in my head. I don't want to belong to this world anymore.

He's gone.

Gone forever. He won't be coming back for me this time. I'll never see him again. Never hear his voice, feel his embrace, smell his scent, or listen to his beautiful blood again. And though it seems impossible, the thought crushes down on me again, driving me further into a useless state. The concrete beneath me seems to become colder. The sun will rise in an hour, but still I make no move to get up. Maybe I'll lay out here and watch it come up. Splashing its colors against the sky and earth. Watch the sweet symphony of nature for one brief moment before I'm burnt into nothing but ashes.

I wonder if I'll go to where Kyo is when I die. I can't be sure. I'm a vampire. I suppose I'll end up in hell. The thought of hell captures my attention. Maybe hell is personalized for each sinner, not all of us fear flames or demons. Maybe what we fear the most will become our own personal hell. Mine would be darkness. Nothingness. Emptiness. For what in this world or the next could be more frightening than being alone and unloved for all of eternity? Nothing could be worse than that.

Except this.

Why should I live forever if he can only live for moments at a time?

Strong hands lift me from the cold heartless earth and cradle me as I'm being carried back into the room. I feel myself being lowered gently into my coffin and I let my mind wander into nothingness again as the hands leave me. When I die, I don't want to be trapped in one of these boxes. I'm sick of seeing the inside of coffins. Though the styles change, new satin, silk or velvet lining, new wood and lacquer. They all just seem like a prison. Forcing me back to them at the end of each night. I think I want to be left where I burn away. Let the rest of my tired body float on the wind, in the sunlight I will forever be denied.

Sunlight reminds me of him. His skin always glowing and radiant.

I feel myself smile sadly as tears fall onto the satin pillow and death like sleep claim me.

_Kyo_

Megumi spoke first, whispering as if to himself. "Damn it. I owe that fool a new pet."

"It's your own fault." Hanajima answered just a quietly.

"Even if he can see into the future doesn't mean he's always going to be right." His voice and face betray nothing, but the air around him is annoyed.

I can hear the shocked murmurs from my comrades behind me, but I block them out and step forward. "I called, now help me find Haru!" My vision flares with color and I can taste the air filling my nose and mouth.

_Calm down. This will help no one._

Like something released into the air, calm floods me instantly and my anger evaporates.

"I can only tell you where he has been." Hanajima closes her eyes.

Megumi follows immediately after her lead. "And I can only tell you where he is now."

"We can not tell you where he will be." They answer in unison, their voices the same monotonous tone, melting into each other, as if only one had spoken.

"That doesn't help much." Uotani mutters tiredly.

"It's much better than absolutely nothing!" I snap turning towards her almost furiously. "At least I'll have some idea where that murderous bastard is taking him!" She doesn't look the least bit riffled and I turn away ashamed for lashing out at her. My eyes go back to the Muses still in their state of concentration. "Anything at all will help..."

"They are in Scotland, in a small town called Kelso. But for long, we can not say." Megumi answered my plea first, eyes opening slowly then turned to his 'sister'. Her eyes opened but she said nothing until Megumi nodded in encouragement.

Her eyes seemed even more flat than before. "He has been told you are dead. He gave up. He would not feed and he would not move."

My heart crashes to my feet. I know I should feel rage and want to kill that sadistic Vampire Lord, but only for him are my thoughts. "Given up?"

"He has asked for Hatori to kill him."

"But for now he sleeps. The Lord has not made a decision yet. He is currently debating if he should wipe Haru's memory again, or just give him what he wants." Megumi eyes seem to shoot through me, past me even, seeing me but not taking me in. "That is all we can tell you."

I blinked and they were gone.

I felt my body go completely numb, how my legs even kept me up is a wonder. I felt arms pulling on me and voices from far away, but I pull away. 'Don't touch me!' I sink to my knees, my vision blurred by tears. I want to scream at the persisting hands. 'Don't touch me!' but I can't find my voice.

A single thought pierces me.

I have to get to him soon. He's in pain and he will either forget me... or he will... die.

"Ayame!" I shout shooting to my feet and walk quickly to the ladder. "My passport. Find it. Call the airport. I need to be on the next plane to Scotland."

"Kyo, wait. We need to think this through. We can't just pick up and leave."

I turn angrily. "Haru needs me. He needs me now. Just do as I say!" I roar, jumping over the edge of the building, landing lightly on the fire escape platform. I'm in my apartment before I can blink, tearing through my belongings. Clothes are unimportant, it's weapons I need.

"Kyo!" Uotani screams at me from my bedroom door. I turn in time to see something colorful shoot into my arm. Pain explodes from the silver object before a sweet numbness sweeps through me. I feel the same pain three more times before a lovely darkness pulled me under.

_Elsewhere_

"Should we be interfering like this?" Hanajima whispered gazing into her tea.

"Who cares?" Megumi answered appearing just as interested in his teacup.

"I do!" A small giggle made their eyes shift to their annoying companion. "Those two have to get it right this time. I've made it easy." The muse of the future lounged back on the cloud. "Besides, they deserve an eternity of happiness after all they have been put through."

_Kyo_

"I guess we should sweep this way. I mean, there's really nothing more we can do at this point." A voice broke through the haze.

"This is infuriating. When is the idiot supposed to wake up?"

Someone snarled. "You're the _idiot_ that shot him with four tranquilizers!"

"Well, I was guessing! I was never told how many it takes to put a werewolf out."

"It's in your god damn manual jackass! You're supposed to read that thing for a reason!"

"Ooooh! I think someones cranky."

A yelp made the darkness lighter. "Some of us are trying to sleep." I groaned, reaching for the edge of my blanket to roll over. Something hard struck my forehead as I fell before the floor came up to meet my face. Pain and anger forced my eyes open as I sat up, freezing as I took in our surroundings. "What the hell..."

"My sunshine's awake!" Ayame squealed throwing himself at me. I growled and shoved him away.

"Nice to see Ayame didn't kill you." Uotani smiled as Tohru placed a cup of coffee in front of me. I tried to smile as I picked it up and took a drink.

"Where are we?" I half moaned, popping my neck and twisting my spine.

"Exactly where you told us to go." Someone mumbled from behind me. I turned to see Hiro standing behind the couch I must have been sleeping on. "Scotland."

'Haru!' I jumped up, spilling the coffee all down my front. "Shit!" I moved to wipe it off, but dropped back down immediately, pulling the wet blanket around me. "Why am I half naked!" I roared at my Lover.

"Well, I didn't want you to be uncomfortable. And your clothes were covered in blood and stank horrendously." He smiled brightly at me. "And you mumbled something about how clothes are 'unimportant' when I tried to re-dress you a couple days ago."

"A couple days ago?!"

"You've been in and out for four days." Uotani answered when no one else would.

"Four days? How could I sleep for that long?" My mind moved backward trying to find something.... Anger bubbled again and I closed my eyes. "Who shot me?"

More silence.

"Who the hell shot me with FOUR TRANQUILIZERS!?!" I shouted.

"Eh-heh... Rin said one wouldn't be enough. Do you know how cute you are all drugged up?" Ayame smiled holding up a towel and pointing towards a door.

"WHAT IF YOU HAD KILLED ME YOU MORON!?!?"

"Oh please! The day tranquilizers kill you is the day I grow wings and announce myself as the queen of fairies." He waved his hand blowing it off.

"That's not too far off from the truth already." I growled, snatching the towel from his hand, tightened the blanket around my waist and walked to what I assumed was the bathroom.

**000**

I walked back into the large room where everyone else was gathered still pulling my shirt over my head and trying to zip up my pants at the same time.

Ayame whistled as I came into view making me blush and pull the fabric down faster, not that it helped much, the black shirt barely covered my navel. "How do you stay so tan? You work at night. Though my translucent look is very appealing if I do say so myself, but that golden glow you've got going on isn't half bad."

"Is he always a moron?" Hiro asked as Tohru handed me another cup of coffee.

"Yes." I answered.

"Is it tanning lotion? A tanning bed? Spray on?" Ayame persisted.

"Gah! My room doesn't have a curtain and I sleep in front of a window!!" I snapped.

"Hm. That settles it. I need to buy some binoculars."

"Just shut up!" I roared. "Okay. What did I miss while, thanks to a certain dumb ass, I was out?" I asked once everyone settle in around the room.

"Well. We're hero's." Uotani spoke up. "We've got medals and everything to prove it. You're lucky you missed all the pretentious bullshit they've been shoving down our throats. The fact we disobeyed orders slid neatly under a rug. Akito and every rouge demon have disappeared off the face of the Earth apparently. Headquarters is getting ready for a war." She looked like she was going down a list in her head, eyes on the ceiling and face in concentration.

"Your status has been officially changed from 'Human' to... Well, it's been changed." I caught the hesitation in her voice and decided I'd have to force her to tell me what it exactly had been changed to. "We dragged your corpse like body onto a plane, you have no idea how much of a pain that was, specially when you began growling and screaming in your sleep. And here we are in Scotland. Well, after a certain silver haired 'blonde' got us mixed up on a layover and we ended up in Germany..."

"We thought you had finally woken up then." Hiro spoke up.

"You ruined my best shirt..." Ayame mumbled.

"We thought we were going to have to hit you with another tranq, it was like you were going to kill someone."

"Those poor security guards at the airport." Tohru whispered

"As soon as your teeth began to lengthen you passed out though." Uo laughed. "You certainly freak some people out, but we finally got here."

"Have we learned anything? About Haru? Hatori?" I spat the last name out.

Tohru stood as my stomach snarled furiously. "Food! Kyo needs food!"

Uotani waited until she left the room before she continued. "They're here." My eyes narrowed. "We don't know where though."

"But this is a tiny town, right? I've never even heard of Kelso."

"They left Kelso." My heart sank. "We followed them here. To Glasgow."

_Haru_

The piano notes follow my memories exactly. The soft gentle notes that start the melody, the sad strong notes that follow. It's his song exactly. Beautifully soft. But it's so hollow it hurts to hear. Because in the end, I know it's not how I want to hear it played. The powerful crest forces tears from my eyes. They drop a translucent scarlet onto the keys and smear as my fingers drag them. My bloody tears stain the keys from previous playing.

Hatori has left again. He says he can't stand to see me wasting away, but my lack of blood is so far unnoticeable. I know it's the music I've become obsessed with recreating in every waking moment that drives him to the streets of whatever god forsaken place we've taken refuge in. I sigh as the last soft note lingers in the air.

I pound the keys angrily. He's stopped each of my feeble attempts. To run away and to die. He's always there pulling me back just before the sun can touch me. Always knows what direction I'll take to leave. And he's so god damn faster than me! My hands slam against the keys again, shattering the ivory and splintering the wood.

"I suppose this means you'll want another one." His voices reaches me from the elevator.

"Yes." I mutter getting up.

He opens the door as I begin pulling the lid of my coffin closed. I close my eyes trying to absorb the dark, and I'm successful for about a minute before the lid is ripped loudly from it's hinges. "Get up." His voice is calm and icy. My eyes lock onto his.

"No."

"Get up." More force embedded in his lovely bass.

"No."

"Get up or I'll be forced-"

"To kill me?"

His heavy sigh tells me I've won. I close my eyes again and try to block out the light of the single lamp he refuses to let me turn off. "You want another black one?" He whispers, thumping on the wall of my wooden prison.

"You know what I want."

"And again I refuse to give it to you." He mutters with distaste. "Do you think Kyo would have wanted-"

I snap straight up, fury flooding me. "Don't say his name! Don't you ever say his name with that voice! That mouth! Ever! Ever again!" My fingers have ripped through the red satin lining and scraped the wood underneath.

He frowns and reaches to pull me into his arms. I back away. Something behind his face falls and gives me a sharp feeling of remorse. "Haru." He falls to his knees, head bowed, one hand still reaching for mine. "I would give you anything. I can give you everything. Why? Why can't you love _me_? Why can't I be the one to make you smile? The one you cry for when I'm not around? The one who makes you feel safe when everything else is falling apart?" His hand closes softly over my own. "Why can't it be me?"

Tears rush to my eyes again. I used to love him, but he had made me love him by cutting out everyone around me. Could it really have been called love when you are forced with only one option?

"I would grant your every wish." His whisper dropping lower and lower.

"I wish for Kyo." I pull my hand from his and turn away. "Or I wish for death."

"Then you leave me with no choice."

His strange cold voice makes me turn back to him. His hand covers my eyes immediately, words of a strange spell flowing into my ears. "I will make you forget him."

No. No. Please. I'm scratching uselessly at him, pulling away from him to no avail.

_Just remember him. _A strange voice explodes in my head. It's calling to me desperately.

_Just hang on to everything you know about him._

_Don't forget anything._

_Just remember him._

_Focus only on him!!_

Just remember....

Remember what?

* * *

**Edit: ---Butterfly fun fact time!! XD---** Butterfly started off as a request piece for one of my dearest friends Maki-chan!... but it evolved into so much more than that! I came to love it and expanded on her simple request. A boy vampire falls in love with a boy non-vampire.... She didn't care if he was human, werewolf, or some other creature she admires in my book of beasties. XD Easiest request ever. And it grew in my head into this complicated, and awkward at moments, story. **: Edit complete**

**Ha! Chapter nine... Where nothing gets done and this is all pretty much pointless.... Every story has one of those chapters right? **

**Okay... so they don't. Oh wells... -sad face-**

**On to chapter ten! Where everyone's life is a game and we have no more 'do-overs' left. (****_Blech. That was just a horrible.... sentance...)_**

**(****My passion for this story... is fading. :l Forgive me Maki-chan!!)**


	10. A Winter Ends

//_ Muse _//

_(song)_

_xXx _flashback _xXx_

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

_Haru_

It's like falling. There's no other way to describe it. The sound of wind rushing past my ears, making it hard to focus on anything but the face in front of me. Beautiful and sweet. But it is a face without a name. Sweet crimson eyes pulling me into them, forcing me to think, search for the name, search for my connection to the beauty reaching for my hand. And that is where the sweetness ends. That is where the wondrous sensation of falling smashed into a thousand pieces, replaced by an iron band across my chest pulling me deeper into icy water, into black nothingness.

Pain erupts in my head. My skull feeling as if it's shattering.

_// Careful. //_ The sweet voice from before cautions in my head. // _Be careful. Do not upset him. Hold on to your memories, even if it causes you pain... do not let him disappear. //_

My eyes snap open. The darkness startles me before calm floods me, but only for a moment. The smell of old blood surrounds me, choking me with its overpowering stench.

I push open my coffin and stumble into the room, praying the open air will help the smell. It doesn't. I blanch and stumble my way to the bathroom, flipping the switch and standing before the mirror.

Oh.

Blood, old and blackened, flows relentlessly down my face from my nose. My stomach heaves and I bend over the sink, heaving dryly.

I lay against the bathroom floor twenty minutes later, throat sore and confusion filling my head.

That's where he finds me. "What... on Earth?" He pulls tissues from the box on the counter and begins to mop up my bloody face.

"Don't touch me!" I growl fiercely pushing his hands away.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"Just leave me alone Hatori." My voice down to a whisper now. Confusion flashes across his face, his hands dropping instantly. Being careful not to touch him I pull the tissues from his hand and wipe the blood from my face hastily. "Why are we here?" His confusion only deepens. "Why did you drag me halfway around the world?" Still he says nothing. "Fine. Leave. I'm taking a shower."

"Wouldn't you like to drink first?"

The sentence makes my throat erupt in pain again. But... that... I know why I'm thirsty. I haven't been drinking. I've been starving myself... for... Why again?

"No."

The words leave my lips making my throat burst into flames.

_// Ignore it. You must ignore it. //_

That voice again. "Is there anything I can get you?" Hatori asks, his voice guarded.

_// Careful. //_

"Clothes." At this he stands and leaves me alone. I pull my self up and strip. I let the water run hot and watch the steam cover the glass as my thoughts go in a million directions. They all end with the voice in my head. I can't recall the last two weeks, but I know I don't remember ever having this voice in my head. Perhaps I'm developing a tumor. Can I even develop a tumor? Being unchanging for eternity make that seem very unlikely. A mental illness then? Or maybe I'm just going insane. Vampires can go insane right?

_Who are you?_ I think. _Hello? Are you there?_ I hear nothing. I keep trying for a minute before giving up, feeling like an idiot.

_// I was waiting for you to shut up so I could answer. //_

I jump, startled out of my thoughts of questioning my sanity.

"Who are you?" I ask again tentatively.

_// Shhhh! He'll hear you Haru-chan! // _

_You still haven't answered me. _Even in my thoughts I can hear my annoyed grumble.

The voice giggles, throwing me for a bit. _// I'm a friend I guess. But I'm still mad at you. How could you just sit there and let him do that, you idiot?! //_

_Well excuse me for having no idea what the fuck you're talking about. _I get up turning the water off. _But I'm very thirsty.... so I'm going to go drink._

_// Don't do that! // _The voice exploded louder than anything I've ever heard. In my head or otherwise. I fell to the ground clutching my head in pain. _// Sorry! //_

"Shut up for a minute..." I moaned against the tiled floor.

_// He's going to hear you! // _The voice whispered.

"He's probably already heard me... Beside you're the one who shattered my brain. It hurts to think!"

_// Oh monkeys. He's heard you. He was going down to the lobby, but thanks to you he's coming back up. Do use both a favor and talk to me in your head. // _It paused for a minute before cracking up. _// That makes you sound crazy! //_

_I'm beginning to think I am. _I thought, pulling myself up and into clothes Hatori must have left on the counter. "Haru?" Hatori's voice carried to me.

"In here." I muttered. He walked in while I was still rubbing my temples. His face was distorted by confusion. "My head hurts." I whispered in explanation.

"Hurts?"

"Yes. It feels like something screamed at my brain... I think my ears are ringing..." And indeed they were. "So keep your voice down. Yeah?"

He walked over to me silently and kneels in front of me. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." I whispered, pushing his hands away for the second time that night.

"Are you sure?" His voice just as low as mine.

"I said I was fuckin' alright!" I screamed making my head give another stab. "Scratch that... that really hurt."

_// Real smooooth.//_ The voice seemed to laugh at me. _Shut up._"I'm sorry." Hatori whispers. "I thought... it would help."

"What would help?" I look up at him. "Help with what?" His eyes show that same confusion as earlier. Did I forget something? Something important? Did something happen these past two weeks that I blocked out?

_// Oh, you idiot. Deny that you're thirsty. //_

"Are... Are you thirsty?" He pushes gently a few seconds later. His eyes tell me he's testing me for something.

"No." I answer flatly. I leave him there in the bathroom and walk over to a beautiful piano. I sit a the bench that has my scent all over it and begin to mess with the keys. And, before I even realize it, a beautiful melody is playing. Something sad, something sweet, something... familiar. Tragic. Devastating. And hopelessly beautiful. I lose myself in it easily, letting my fingers play over the keys. It surrounds me. It fills me. It awakens something deep within me. A longing... or a love. Yes. Defiantly a love, a powerful love that gives me hope then crushes down on me completely.

And before I know it, I'm crying. Tears of pain and loss. Somehow I know this song is very dear to me, though I can almost be certain I've never heard it before. Almost. The last note dies and I hear a choked gasp. I look over my shoulder at my Master. His face makes me freeze. Something's clearly wrong with the melody I just created... his face is frozen. His face is horrified.

_// Play it again...// _The voice urges me. My eyes still glued to the older vampire I begin to play. It's perfect. As if I have already memorized the keys. His face still frozen he storms silently from the room.

_This song..._

_// Very beautiful isn't it? It fits it's owner perfectly. Sad, but still filled with hope and love. Yes. That's him. Even if he doesn't know it. //_

_Then I have heard it some where before. Who is the composer?_

_// Well, you are. //_

_I am?_

_// Sort of. It was written for you. It took him centuries to complete it. //_

_An immortal then? _The melody just restarts itself as soon as it finishes.

_// No. A human. //_

_But... centuries? _My thoughts halt in confusion.

_// Each new life added on. The utter despair, but also the hope. It's a love song for you that he has been perfecting since his initial life. All that emotion? You're the cause of it. If he had never met you... well, I can't say that. He would have always met you. No matter how I play it out. // _The voice laughed here. _// But, I don't think it would be this beautiful if it weren't for you. It's his blood-song. //_

_Who-who are you?_

_// A friend I told you! // _It laughed again. _//Technically I'm a muse. //_

_A muse?_

_// Yes, but you can call me Momiji! //_

_Kyo_

_- -_

I'm different. My eyes are still red, but everything else about me is different. My hair has more red in it, diluting my odd orange into a soft reddish brown. My skin still golden, but not as deep. I'm watching the stars, peace in all my limbs. I'm waiting. Not anxiously. Just waiting. For something that makes me happy. Someone who makes me whole.

And there it is. My heart swells and my smile widens at the slight pressure on my chest. I look down at the white hair and smile.

A flash.

I'm somewhere new. Waiting under the stars again in a jungle of houses made of stones on a road of cobble stones. I look at a puddle. My eyes still crimson. My hair more gold than orange, but it still holds it's orange color.

Pale white arms slip around my waist pulling me into a wonderful cold embrace and I look back smiling at white hair.

- -

I wake up in time to see the sun set. And I smile again. But this time bitterly.

**000**

"Well." I huffed. "This sucks." We had just finished our sweep of the sewers. And we certainly smelt like it. Last night it had been basements. Yesterday it had been the surrounding area. And we were getting absolutely no where. Divided into day and evening teams we had checked every cold, isolated, dingy, seedy, area.

"Hey orangy..." Uotani panted out as we finished our run. "I don't think I can take much more of this."

"Truly this is the most vile thing I've done in twenty years." Rin agreed. For a minute, I almost asked her what she did twenty years ago that topped this, but I shook off the urge.

"It's the most terrifying thing I've ever done." They looked at me. "Worrying. Knowing I can't help. Knowing I can't do anything but look for him."

Uo smiled. "Look who just had a deep moment. Keep those up and Aya might think you've become smart." I growled and jumped onto a dumpster. Looking around desperately.

"I don't think- What?" Uo's eyes were huge.

"That was hands down _the_ coolest thing I've ever seen you do." I rolled my eyes and hopped down.

"You know, somehow, I'm insulted by that. I know for a fact-" I stopped speaking as a sudden thought hit me. It was obvious. Too freakin' obvious. "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid." I took off running for the inn where our Lovers lay sleeping, chanting that mantra over and over, ignoring Uotani's complaints and Rin's inquiries. I dashed through the lobby and up the stairs, elevator too slow. The others seemed to agree, or were just too busy following me they didn't think to stop. I pressed a button on my communicator and thirty seconds later our room door was ready and open, all Lovers alert.

Uotani was the last inside, glaring daggers at me while trying to catch her breath. Rin slightly annoyed yet at the same time seemed amused. And I, I couldn't stop pacing.

"What's happened?" Ayame yawned and pulled his computer onto his lap, somehow knowing he'd be needing it.

"Yes enlighten us Kyo." Hiro urged irritated.

"I don't see how you all can call me stupid all the time and then not figure something obvious out before I do." I growled. "Hatori." I held up my index finger. "Vampire Lord... for practically ever. Used to having his ass kissed. Used to nice lavish things. Used to being king of the fucking world." I held up a finger on my other hand. "Dirty, fucking rotten places we've been searching for the past two days."

Rin and Hiro shared a smirk. The others still looked oblivious. I let out an angry breath. "Ayame. Look up hotels. Nice hotels. At least four star."

A sudden duh moment seemed to spread around the room.

But everyone was instantly in action. I smiled as the Lovers began their search with their Hunters hanging over their shoulders with something close to optimism.

Thank the stars for brilliant moments.

_Hatori_

"I don't know what to do... It's like it didn't work, but did. Does that make sense?" I muttered, clutching the phone gently. A wave of depression washed over me. It was like I was losing him again, but even he didn't know what to.

"Remain calm Hatori." Kureno's voice made it hard not to be calm and I let out a deep breath. "You've preformed your little brain washing trick more times than I can remember. Actually, I doubt even you remember." I had to agree with him begrudgingly. "Maybe he's becoming immune to it. His body could be adapting to it. If the body, or the mind, are put through the same thing too many times it will either become used to it, or it will destroy the effects completely, or it could just be you're paranoid."

"No." I shook my head. "He refuses to drink, though his thirst must be killing him. He won't let me touch him. He.. He played that bastards _blood-song_! I am not being paranoid."

"But he isn't begging to be killed anymore. That's something isn't it?"

A smile spread across my face. "Yeah. That's defiantly something."

"And he doesn't act like a souless zombie? That's something too, right?"

"Yes." I agreed again.

"Then relax and let him figure out you aren't his enemy.... And lighten up. He's going to be the death of you."

I opened my mouth to agree with him, when a blood curdling scream erupted into the night. I paled. I had heard that scream before. "Haru..."

_Haru_

_Why does this song make Hatori so angry?_ I asked, still not sure I wasn't crazy.

The voice that insisted on being called 'Momiji' sighed. _// It's not that easy to explain without breaking certain rules. //_

_Just give me what you got. I'm sick of feeling like I'm in the dark more than I should be. _

He laughed again. _// You have no idea just how far in the dark you are. // _What the hell did that mean? _// You remember something right? Something I told you not to forget before you woke up? // _I thought back. Before I woke up? There... there was just darkness. There was nothing to remember. _// Keep trying. These bonds are easily broken if you try. But I should warn you... it will hurt. More than my accidental scream. // _That made me stop for a moment, but for some reason I thought of the song. And that made me want to continue.

I concentrated. Hard. I pushed against the blackness that seemed unwilling to budge, but I kept pushing all the same. And then, mentally, it began to give. Like stubborn piece of plastic, pliable once you used the correct amount of force. Pushing, pushing until it snaped.

And that's when the pain flooded my head.

I screamed louder than I ever screamed in my memory of existing. There were no words to describe the searing pain that sent my body thrashing about wildly as I fell from the bench to the floor, hands griping my head as if trying to keep it together. My screams of agony echoing off the walls, intensifying them. The same putrid smell from this morning filled the room and I felt blood coat my face, flooding the mouth I couldn't have closed if I tried. Strong hands pulled me to my side, letting the blood drain from my mouth onto the floor. I didn't have time to be grateful. Another scream and spasm rocked my body. My head felt as if it were being torn apart from the inside. My scream finally began to die down when Hatori cursed, wiped the blood from my face and the floor, and stuck me in the bed.

A quick knock forced him to the door. I sat up, still clutching my throbbing head and wanting to scream the pain out. "I know. I apologize. He had a nightmare.... Yes of course." The room began to spin, but I saw the young hotel employee enter. I almost laughed. He was checking to see if Hatori was killing me.

"Are you alright sir?" His voice was soft and smooth and for some reason it eased the angry pulse in my head.

"Yes. I'm sorry for the disturbance. I had.. a nightmare." I whispered as my head ache forced me to lay back down. "I'm sorry." I moan and Hatori was by my side in a heartbeat.

"What's wrong?" His voice also soothed me. And I pulled him down to me, arms wrapping around his strong chest. I smelled the young man blush as he excused himself. I waited for the door to close before I whimpered in pain again. "What happened Haru?"

_// Lie. Don't tell him anything. //_I sighed, grateful Momiji had whispered, which made the throb become a slightly less painful stabbing. So voices made it hurt less. I moaned again. Remembering how to talk kind of hurt. "Just talk to me, please. Hatori. Even if it's nothing. Talk to me."

I felt him smile. He pulled me closer to him and began to sing very softly.

_(I've been feeling 3 feet tall this month, hardly indestructible,  
But the snow melts and the rhythm still goes on)_

Not a stabbing pain... now a sharp ache. Red eyes. Beautiful crimson eyes.

_(An angel got his wings and we'll hold our heads up,  
Knowing that he's fine  
We'd all be lucky to have a love like that in a lifetime)_

I groaned as the sharpness melted away into a dull ache. Velvety orange hair. Flawless golden skin. _Is this what you wanted me to remember? _A beautiful man with soft orange hair and gorgeous blood red eyes filled my thoughts.

_// Good job Haru-Chan! //_

_(Friends stay side by side  
In life and death you've always stole my heart  
You'll always mean so much to me it's hard to believe this)_

His voice soothed the ache. It'd be so easy to fall in love with him. _// Haru? // _I pull away, breaking his song. "Are you okay now?" His eyes are warm, soothing. I nodded sitting up. "Will you tell me what happened?"

"Is it possible for a vampire to get a head ache?" I asked feeling ridiculous.

Hatori smiled. "Some of the worst. Why?"

"I was... just sitting there on the bench and it felt like my brain exploded." I muttered trying not to remember the pain said 'expolsion' caused me. "I don't even know what made it... happen." He gave me a soft smile and kissed my forehead.

"I've got to go call Kureno back. I think I left him at a bad time." He whispered giving me another hug and kissed my cheek. "I'll be back shortly." I nodded and laid back down on the bed.

_Momiji? Who is he? _I thought of the beautiful man and a sense of peace overcame me. Love. I love this man. I don't know his name, but I know for certain I love him. My entire body fills with happiness. I think he loves me too. But... pain again. Not pain from my head, pain from my heart. And the happiness that flooded my body was swept away by the numbing agony. _And what happened to him? Why does this hurt so much? Is he... _The numb anguish twisted and became sharper, making the earlier pain seem like a walk in the park, but this time it all came from my heart and I lay there unable to move from its force. _Dead? _That word crashed down on me and misery was added to the crushing weight on my body.

_// No. //_

It seemed insane, but that one tiny phrase made all that pain lift from my body, filling me with an irrational happiness. _Why does that make me so... happy... hopeful?_

_// Even if the mind forgets, the heart will remember. The heart will always remember those important to us. Those important to our hearts. // _I smiled. So he _was_ important to me. _// He is someone who has fought for you for millenia. He's the other half of your heart. The other half of your soul. // _He laughed sweetly. _// And people don't believe in soul mates. Silly people. //_

_What's his name? Can you tell me that?_

_// His name is Kyo. //_

_Where is he?_

The voice seemed hesitant to answer. _// I'm sorry. I can't... // _My heart sinks just a bit. _//But he's near. // _

_Kyo_

"This is ridiculous you guys! Let me go!" I struggle uselessly. Shaking side to side I try to find a weakness in my restraint. There isn't one to be found. I curse loudly again glaring at our makeshift team. They don't make eye contact, but they sneak looks, smiling and shaking with laughter. I'm pissed. But there's nothing I can do about it.

I'm currently duct taped to a chair.

"You all suck!" I shout. How the hell did this happen?

_xXx_

"Kyo," Ayame looked up from the screen annoyance clear in his face. "All your pacing is maddening."

The others all look at me, the same annoyed look duplicated in all their eyes. Save for Tohru's... not that she'd ever been annoyed at anything in her life. "Seriously Kyo. Cool it or-"

"Or what?" I barked at Uotani.

"You'll regret it." Her eyes narrowed.

"Shit! You can barely keep up with me running, what the hell do you think you could do to me?" Unfortunately, I hadn't seen the roll of silver tape Ayame handed Uotani until it was too late. Rin was already behind me before I could place the shiny roll.

_xXx_

"I told you you'd regret it." Uotani smiled at me. I just snapped my teeth at her.

"Got it!" Ayame grinned.

"How the hell could it have taken that freaking long!?" I shouted again, struggling with my restraints. I just got glared at.

"Do you realize what a pain in the ass it is to hack into hotel registries AND having to listen to you?" Hiro growled out. "Stupid Hunter... We had to look for guests that reserved the night before, the night of, or the night after they left Kelso AND when they checked in."

Ayame giggled. "We've made a list of possible hotels and separated them into three individual lists."

"Uo-Chan you have the Millenium Hotel, the Menzies Hotel, and the Moat House Hotel." Tohru smiled sleepily.

"Rin, Fraser Suites, Langs Hotel, Malmasion Hotel." Hiro barked out.

"And Kyo, you've got Carlton George, Adobe, and City Inn." He smiled and I couldn't help but smile back. Haru...

"Okay. So now will you guys get me out-" All the breath left my body. I saw Hiro and Rin stiffen visibly at the sound the others seemed to have not heard. Suddenly Rin turned to me, arm morphing into a giant black claw, slicing the tape in one fluid movement.

"Run." Was all she said.

But I was already out the door, pushing my body faster.

A scream. A scream of heart wrenching pain. I dove out the window, landing lightly among the loud sound of the glass falling around me. A scream in a voice I would know anywhere, no matter how distorted by pain.

"Haru." I breathed before shifting into a faster form.

_Haru_

_// You know. I think we should go for a walk. //_

I frowned. _I'd be the one walking._

_// It's a good idea though. Did you know you haven't left this room since you got here? // _I thought for a moment. How long had we been here?

_Fine. _I get up carefully, making sure movement didn't cause some chain reaction that forced me to the ground again in pain. Nothing. I walked at a normal human pace out the door and to the elevator. This place was pretty nice. But then, ever since I could remember Hatori liked things expensive.

_// Fresh air will do wonders for you. //_ I couldn't help but feel there was something I was missing in his words. The elevator crawled for the longest time, before finally coming to a stop and it seemed to take forever for the doors to open. Why I was being so impatient... I couldn't say.

_Kyo_

I followed the lasting vibrations of the scream across the rooftops to keep from being seen. Leaping across the roads that separated the buildings like they were nothing. It would have excited me if I wasn't so concerned about the owner of that scream.

I stopped when I came to a street that was too crowded and brightly lit to jump. That building. The scream had come from there. But which room? I couldn't tell. I turned and leapt into the deserted alley I had previously skipped across. I landed soundlessly among the garbage, shifting effortlessly as I ran. Darting across the street I stopped in front of the building.

The Carlton George Hotel.

I smiled bitterly and pushed the door open.

_Haru_

I walked across the beautiful lobby ignoring some of the shocked looks I was getting from the staff. _What are they staring at?_I thought sourly, forcing myself not to grimace. Momiji laughed.

_// Only two people have seen you since you showed up. The bell boy from earlier and the night receptionist. You kinda looked like you were dying when you checked in and when the boy seen you. I'd be shocked too. // _

Oh. I tried to brush it off. What had happened that would have made me look dead before we checked in? A voice carried to me from the front desk. It was loud and annoyed. It sounded angry. I pushed on the glass door and looked back casually. The angry voice stopped instantly. I whirled around at the same instant he did. My feet carried me to him before I decided to move them. I sank into his open arms as if I were exhausted. He pulled me out into the street and out of the view of curious eyes. And something melted within me. Like snow melting before a warm spring, leaving me breathless in his strong warm arms.

And a name left my lips softly before his captured them.

"Kyo."

* * *

**O.o What the cheese? Another update within a week? AND Momiji shows up?! Good god I must be insane. **

What can I say? I was on a roll. Ha ha ha! Awwww! I just couldn't keep those two apart too long as much as I wanted to... And I really wanted to... The song Hatori sings is Bayside's _"Winter" _'cause the words just went along with what I feel went well with the chapter and story in general. And thanks to you who do review. T.T Gives me incentive to get off my lazy ass and update faster.

BTW... Butterfly seems like a very random title doesn't it? It isn't though. It's actually a hilarious story that I tried to cover up with an attept at brilliancy.... But I can't deny the truth. I was being stupid. Ha ha ha! I'll share the story someday... maybe. Does anyone even care to hear it? XD (p.s. I'm very terrified of butterflies and moths.)

**New poll up! **OMGWTF!?!?! You'll vote right?

Reviews are nice.


	11. Come Set Me Free

**-snort- 69 reviews. Ha ha ha ha! Okay. I'm done being childish.... **

**Wow. I'm just an update machine lately... I hope that doesn't mean it's written badly. I think it's good. Ha ha ha! But you can see the OOC very clearly.... **

**But a little WARNING! This chapter uses the 'M' rating to it's advantage. XD So be prepared for that. I felt like after such a sad separation they needed to become familiar with each others bodies again... That was my line of thinking anyway. But you can skip over it if you like, it's pretty short.**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven  
_Come Set Me Free_**

_Haru_

_//Run// _The sound of Momiji's voice makes me break the passionate kiss. _What?_

_//Run away from here//_

His eyes are staring down at me lovingly. His fingertips brush against my face and I lean gently into his touch. "We have to run." I whisper taking the hand touching my face and pulling him back into the sea of people on the crowded street. He doesn't question it and is soon leading me from the hotel. The heat from his hand travels up my body and settles into my core as a sense of peace, a sense of... _rightness _drowns out the fear and confusion I'd had since I'd woken up. And I know his soul is my match. I would have known it even if Momiji had never said anything. There was no other way to capture the feeling of complete peace he gave me.

"Where are we going?" I ask the orange haired vision. His pace quickens. And I realize we're going at a pace much faster than any human could run, but still not fast enough. I speed up, snapping our connecting hands, I throw him on my back and run. "Where are we going?" I ask again.

He kisses my ear and whispers directions to me. We arrive moments later at a three story inn at a very... seedy looking neighborhood. "Come on." He says after looking at me for a few minutes. He takes my hand again pulling me under his arm and walking me forward. I close my eyes as his blood-song fills my ears. That melody. The same one that made me cry earlier. It _is _him. We walk up the stairs slowly, savoring each other's presence.

"I love you." He whispers pulling me into another mind numbing kiss. I melt into it willingly, wrapping my arms around his neck as his hands pull me closer to him by my waist. His tongue gently caresses my lips and I open them for him. His hot tongue explores the icy cavern of my mouth and his exquisite taste fills my senses. I pull my arms around him tighter, crushing us as close together as possible. But I want us closer.

"Your seriously going to make us listen to that?" A voice interrupts my bliss and makes Kyo smile a bit before he bites my bottom lip making me gasp. "Egh, I'm only twelve!"

"I thought you were 'much older' than I am?"

"And how much action do you think a person with a twelve year old's body gets?" The voice shot back. Kyo smiles again and kisses my forehead before attempting to break the concrete circle that are my arms around his neck. I lay my head on his shoulder and very pointedly nestle my face into his neck. His head rests on mine.

"I'll just have to carry you." He whispers. I feel myself being lifted gently and him walking forward. I close my eyes and just listen to his heart beating under my ear, pushing his blood-song throughout his body and into my soul.

_//You need to leave soon.// _Momiji's voice cautioned softly fading into the back of my consciousness.

_Kyo_

I hadn't seen him. When the door pushed open the wind threw something into the air. Not his scent, but his presence. I hold him gingerly in my arms and knock on the door separating me from my friends. Tohru is the one who opens it seconds later, her eyes filling with worry as she notices the very immobile vampire in my arms. I answer the question in her eyes. "He's fine. He just doesn't seem to want to let go..." My words calm her unspoken worry and she smiles as if his condition effects her as well.

I walk into the room and sit on the couch. I don't miss the fact eveyone's eyes and face are full of the same calm that has taken me over. "We need to leave here." Haru whispers against my neck. Ayame picks up on it easily in the quiet room and picks up his computer. But something stops his typing and he looks up at me.

"How? And where? Far. Too long on a plane. Rising in," He looks down at the computer screen. "Five hours." Crap. Good question. And I don't want to wait until tomorrow night. We need to leave as soon as possible. Get as far from Hatori as we can before the sun comes up.

"Car." I simply state. Ayame's fingers start flying again as the others turn a questioning glace my way. I forgot. "Rent a car to drive us as far as we can until the sun comes up and figure out how we're supposed to do this later." I mutter. Ayame and I have been together for years. We don't need full sentences. "Does anyone have any ideas on how we can travel with Haru on a plane?"

"Oh!" Tohru exclaims after a few seconds. "In the part where they put the luggage!"

Uotani smiled, rubbing her Lovers head. "Good idea. We can put him in a coffin in the cargo area." I take a deep breath and look down at the vampire laying against me.

"Is... Is that safe?" I question. I know he's almost indestructible, but that doesn't quench the fear in my stomach.

"Not for a human. But Rin and I have done it." Hiro states. For some reason that still does nothing for my fear. I've just found him again I don't want him separated from me. I don't think I could stand it...

"Maybe we just need make it a little more complicated." Rin's cool voice sounds out from the corner she's been standing in. "Your aura of worry is almost as sickening as the one you had when you came in." I almost glare at her, but Haru shifts, sliding off my lap onto the floor between my legs. I watch him wearily as his hands grasp at mine tightly. Something odd fills the room making me seem hungry. Hiro and Rin visibly stiffen.

"I'm on it." The small boy mutters walking from the room quickly. Rin walks over and separates Haru and I from the rest of the group. I move to ask a question, but her voice interrupts me.

"We can drive from here to the farthest point, then take planes that leave and arrive at night. Making several stops. And we'd be more likely to lose Hatori that way." She states, saying nothing of her sudden move and Hiro's disappearance.

"Do we have the money for that?" I ask. Uo smiles.

"Oh, we have enough alright." Ayame smiles as well. "Okay. Our cars are ready. They'll be here in a minute and twenty seconds." The Lovers disappear into the adjoining room and emerge seconds later with our bags. I look around briefly. We have nothing to pack. I turn again to Rin, ready to ask her where Hiro's gone, but Haru's sudden trembling makes me stop. His hands tighten around mine as the missing Lover appears in the door way carrying a box. Rin takes it wordlessly and sets it by Haru.

"His body positioned itself subconsciously towards the favorable targets. For some reason, he still held onto you. His body probably made the effort to make sure you'd stop him." With that she stood back. "Everyone leave the room." I stiffen. "Of course you can stay, we'll be in the lobby."

She and Hiro ushered everyone from the room and shut the door. "What was that all about?" I asked quietly as Haru pulled the box open. "Oh." That was all I could say. The box was full of plastic medical pouches. Pouches filled with blood.

He was thirsty.

"I'm sorry." Haru's whisper was so low I almost missed it. The smell of blood filled the room instantly as I got up and kneeled in front of him. Despite the fact he was sucking blood out of a little pouch, he looked like a child. His face so ashamed it was cute. The blood was gone almost insantly and as he reached for another I pulled his face close to mine, wiping a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth with my thumb.

"Don't be." I whispered back, letting my tongue wipe the stray blood on his lips away before pressing my lips to his softly. "Drink until you're full." I smile, putting a pouch against his lips. I expected him to grab it. He didn't. His teeth sank through the plastic easily and he began emptying it while I still held it, brown eyes peeking up at me shyly through long black lashes.

I'd be lying if I said it didn't turn me on... a lot.

As soon as the blood disappeared, I repeated the process of clearing away the blood on his lips with my tongue, giving him a kiss, then holding up the next one. This cycle repeated itself seven more times before his mouth crushed against mine when I leaned in for our kiss. I tried to bring myself to protest, but he simply whispered "I'm full." before I could say anything. I pushed him gently against the floor, straddling him, my tongue invaded his mouth which still tasted of blood. The taste brought out something feral in me and the kiss became a little more rough. I gently bit his tongue before moving my mouth down his neck. His soft noises just egged me on. "I love you." His words came out husky, sending a shiver down my back.

"I love you more." I breathed out, my voice just as bad as his, before biting the hollow of his neck.

"Impossible." He moaned as I began to suck on the invisible wound. His hands found their way into my shirt, roaming over the heated flesh aimlessly. His hips rose, rubbing against me, making me moan. There seemed to be no way to stop. My brain was shouting something about cars, but I ignored it. Until I remembered something that made me stop. Hatori. We had to leave.

He whimpered as I pulled away forcing a smile to my face. "We have to leave."

"No." He protested, pulling my lips back to his, trying to convince me to stay. I smiled, painfully pulling away.

"I promise we'll continue this later." My voice sounds like a laugh. We kiss one last time before getting up. I close the box and pick it up as Haru lays a hand on my arm. His cold touch fills my heart. We're together again. And this time, nothing will separate us.

_Haru_

I can't help touching him. Feeling him beneath my touch makes him seem real and makes me feel safe.

When the hunger had finally hit me, I tried to hold it in. But the blood was so close. It would have taken one swift movement to grab one and just a few more seconds to drain them. I couldn't explain why I held back, clinging to Kyo to keep me from lashing out. I didn't know the humans who stood in the room so at ease with the three werewolves and a vampire, but they seemed to know me. So I did everything I could to keep from viewing them as food. Viewing them as prey.

The others, standing by three sleek black cars, seemed relieved when we came into view. "Oh thank god!" The tall blond woman exclaimed. "We were just trying to decide who should go up and get you guys. And I was losing!" She grinned at me before continuing. "We already decided on seating arrangements." I felt Kyo tense up slightly. "We figured Rin and Hiro in one car, Tohru, Ayame and I in another, and you two, who appear to need to be connected, in the last." As my crimson eyed love relaxed, I realized he was worried they would separate us. "But since you won't have your Lover," I tensed. Lover? "We'll have to wear our headsets to make sure we don't lose each other."

"Okay. Let's get going then." Kyo muttered walking towards the cars. "Which one is my bag in?" He asked over his shoulder.

"The last one!" The man with silver hair called, already crawling into the backseat of the front car. Kyo opened the back door to the car we were to take and placed my food supply on the floor behind the passenger seat. He opened the door meant for me. I got in quickly, trying to ignore the panic spreading from my body. I had to convince myself to let go of his arm so I could buckle myself in, but as soon as my hand lifted from him, his was on my cheek. There was a moments hesitation when it was his turn to break the contact. He leaned down, whispered "Two seconds.", kissed me, and closed the door.

A panic filled me as I counted off the two seconds before the drivers side door opened and he slid in. What was this feeling? This dread of when his touch left me, he would be gone forever. My hand stretches out for his as soon as I hear the door open and his hand grabs mine instantly. I give a soft sigh of content and relax. He smiles at me pulling the seat belt across his chest.

"Will you hand me that headset?" He asks softly moving my hand from his to his forearm. He smiles apologetically and starts the car. I pull a small rectangle from a docking station on the dashboard and hand it to him. Pressing a button on the back he places it in his ear. "There are more if you want one."

"Who are you talking to?" A voice I recognized as the silver haired man's crackled from the tiny piece of the equipment.

"Not you Ayame." He grumbled. I smile.

"I can hear him just fine without it." I answer his question. He looks over at me and grinned.

"We're all set." He said facing the front.

"We're good." The boy who brought me the blood spoke up.

"Then lets go." The blond woman answered. We followed the other cars out of the parking lot and down the streets. "North or south boss man."

"South." Kyo answered without missing a beat. The cars in front of us fanned out dangerously for a brief moment, Kyo accelerated instantly, taking the lead in seconds and the others fell back into the line. We drove in silence for a few minutes the sounds of someone else's radio filling our car softly before Kyo spoke again. "Guys. I need a few minutes alone. If I lose sight of you, I'll turn it back on." The voices of conformation sounded briefly before Kyo reached up and pressed the same button from earlier, the soft blue light going out. His arm shook my hand off, letting him grab my hand and intertwine our fingers. It was a full minute before he finally spoke. "You tensed when Uotani mentioned my Lover." Again I felt my body go rigid. "And you just did it again. What..." He paused, as if at a lost for words. "What do you... remember about us?"

Remember? What should I remember? My thoughts reach around. And I wished Momiji's voice hadn't disappeared. I hadn't heard anything since that last line in the stairwell. When my thirst began to overcome me in the room I had called out to him, but he didn't respond. And the fact that the last thing he'd said to me had faded out, I figured he must be gone. Kyo sat through my silence patiently. "I know I love you. I knew your face. I remembered your blood-song." I whispered. He waited for me to continue, but realized that was all I was going to say. "That's all."

"That's all?" His voice loses itself to silence. "You don't remember our meeting in the rain? Our second confrontation with the Sohma Prince and his bodyguard? How I became infected with... with this virus? The past two weeks at all?" He doesn't seem disappointed, he seems angry, the car accelerating in response. The past two weeks... The two I don't remember.

"I'm sorry." I whisper squeezing his hand slightly.

His eyes dart to me, his face instantly horrified. "Don't. It's not your fault." He whispered. His hand answering my squeeze. "He's done this to you before."

"Done what?"

"Erased your memory."

_Kyo_

My rage for Hatori is infinite. He erased his memory before I was even dead this time. Probably assuming I wouldn't be able to find them. Haru looks taken aback. I don't know how to dislodge the question stuck in my head, so I just ask him. "How... did you remember my face, my blood-song?" I ask tentatively. His timid reaction takes me off guard. He looks reluctant to tell me. "You... you don't have to tell me you know."

He seems to mull this over before opening his mouth. "A voice told me to remember a dream."

A voice? I must look surprised or something, because he begins to ramble.

"I woke up last night and the voice began to talk to me. It... it said something about bonds being easily broken. I played your blood-song on the piano and Hatori looked furious. I asked the voice why. And he said to try and remember the dream I had before waking up. You know, when I woke up I had a bloody nose. It smelt horrible. But anyway, it told me to think about it hard. It was like there was a thick sheet of black plastic blocking my way." I listened carefully, pushing the car a bit over the speed limit, checking to make sure at least one black car stayed with me. "I kept pushing and pushing."

"And then, I _felt _it snap. It hurt. A lot. I began screaming and withering around on the ground. My nose began to bleed again and it left me with a head ache so bad I thought I was dying." His voice had become progressively louder and louder, but he closed his eyes, laid his head against the seat and his next words were soft. "And then I could close my eyes and I could see you. I knew I loved you at that moment. Then the voice told me to go for a walk. And then you were there. The voice told me we had to run... he told me we had to get away... and then he was gone. I can't hear him anymore."

My head swam around all the idea's of what the voice could have been. Haru's subconscious trying to remind him?... That's all I've got, but it seems likely.

"He called himself a muse." I almost slam on the breaks. The Muse's again. For some reason I feel like I shouldn't be surprised.

"Which one was it?" I ask after a moment of silence. "Megumi? Hanajima?"

He shook his head. "He called himself Momiji."

"Hm." I can feel him staring at me. "What?"

"You don't seem... surprised." His voice is mystified. "In a way, I'm glad you don't think I'm crazy."

"Ha. The 'muses' have been, uh, helping us these past two weeks." I answer. Momiji... I haven't met that one. "They're the ones... who told us what our connection is. Why we kept meeting." He looks a bit distraught. His face doesn't change, but his eyes are all I need to see he's hurt. He's trying to bring himself to ask something.

"What did they say?" He finally forces out.

I smile pushing the car a bit faster, checking in with everyone, and pass a slow motorist before beginning our story.

**000**

"Do you need a coffin?" I ask as we wait for Ayame and Uotani to return with our room keys. He frowns and thinks. I smile and lean over to kiss him. It's long and sweet, but just a soft meeting of the lips. He lets out a low laugh.

"You can't ask me a question then do that..." He mutters. "And I don't think I _need_one. I remember I stayed at the twin Lords Axrux and Acrux, they refused to sleep in them. They said the only reason most vampires do it is to keep themselves detached from their prey. Something about playing the part of a damned soul. Others simply don't know it isn't a necessity. And they're a sure fire way of making sure no sunlight touches us while we sleep. As long as the curtains keep every bit of light out... I should be fine."

"The twins sound like they're smart."

"Yuki's dad is always yelling at them over the phone and refers to them as dumb asses. In fact... they remind me a bit of your Lover, Ayame." I grimaced playfully and he smiles.

"Pleeeease! I'm a complete original." A voice interrupts us. I glare over my shoulder at the annoyance. "I'm so glad I rode with Tohru-Chan. Your lovey-dovey atmosphere is suffocating me. And I've only been here a few seconds." He grins and hands me a card. "Your room key. I've got a duplicate... just in case. We'd better get inside though." He adds looking up at the lightening sky. "Sleep well."

"Wait." I call at his retreating back. "Do you still have the duct tape?"

He turns around a smile wide on his face. "In for a kinky morning?"

I blush furiously while Haru cracks up beside me. "No you idiot! I wanted to tape the curtains to the wall just in case!" My voice raises, obviously flustered. Ayame just laughs.

"It's in your bag." His voice carries as he walks away. I jump out of the car and pull my bag out of the backseat... then lean back in and stuff a pouch of blood in the side pocket. We walk up to the room silently, hands wrapped around each other. The room is nice. Small, but nice. The queen size bed takes up most of the space, but luckily on the wall opposite of the window, pressed against the wall of the bathroom. I place the bag on the chair near the window, pull out the duct tape and begin taping up any place the light would shine through.

"I think it's good." Haru chuckles, the room thrown into darkness from the thick blue curtain. I smile and pull off my jacket. My knees hit the side of the bed and I lay down on it, exhausted. I feel Haru lay beside me. "Aren't you going to change into something to sleep in?" He questions.

"Usually just sleep in my jeans." I answer.

"Ah." The reply was soft. "Then you still aren't ready for bed." I think about that for a second, lost, feeling Haru lift himself off the bed. I prop myself onto my elbows about to ask him where he's going, when I feel him climb on top of me. I grin as his lips meet mine letting him push me back down slowly. His hands edge my shirt up slowly as his lips move against mine hypnotically, until he breaks away and pulls the shirt off me. "Now you are." He whispers, sleep creeping into his voice. I laugh lightly and pull him down to me. Easily pulling the blankets out from under us I throw them over us and wrap him in my arms. "Wait a minute. I thought you said we could continue."

"And we will." I whisper kissing his eyelids. "But you're tierd. Go to sleep." He protests for a while, sleep dragging out his words the entire time, until he finally falls silent. I lay my head against his and close my eyes.

_Hatori_

I don't understand. I left him alone for barely thirty minutes. How could he have disappeared so... completely?

The rising sun seems to mock my search, forcing me back to the hotel. I don't try to hope he's there waiting for me, but the idea creeps into my head all the same. Early risers turn to stare at me, and, though I know I'm imagining it, their eyes seem to mock me. We seemed to have made some progress before I tore myself away from his sigh pain filled eyes to call Kureno back, why would he leave suddenly? I can't find a reason. Had he remembered his urge to die? Had he become lost? That seem likely, but usually I could follow his scent and find him within in minutes. But his trail ended at the door. Had he run into something dangerous? Had he been so badly injured he couldn't move?

My thoughts are so thick I almost don't hear my name being called.

"Mr. Altair!" I turn to see the receptionist running after me. "I'm sorry to interrupt." She apologized. I smiled at her and her fidgeting stopped. "There was a man in here earlier this morning. He was looking for you and your... friend. He seemed very angry that I wouldn't tell him if you were staying here or not."

"A man?" I hold out my hand to hold the elevator doors open. "What did he look like?"

She pursed her lips. "He was easy to remember. Orange hair, red eyes, about this tall. He left with your friend though and the boy didn't seemed to be in any trouble, he even embraced him." Her sentence ended in a whimper. I could feel the rage rolling off me thickly, but I reigned it in, thanked her and pulled my hand back. I felt my teeth crack and my body began to shake uncontrollably.

He'd found us...

A snarl ripped its way out of my chest and echoed loudly in the tiny space. The part that completely threw me though... Haru had left with him... willingly and even embraced him. I stumbled into the room and threw myself into my coffin just as the sun peaked over the horizon and forced my eyes to close in an unwanted sleep.

_Haru_

I almost don't want to wake him.

His body is still wrapped around mine, warming my cold with his intense warmth. I lay my head on his chest and let his heart beat fill my head. I almost want to let him sleep. Almost. I lift myself carefully and crawl up to his face, trying to make no movement. Licking my lips I press my mouth to his lightly and begin laying a trail of kisses down his chest. His hand runs up my back making me stop and look up. I smile.

"Good evening." He whispers. I bite my lip and look up at him. Our lips meet again softly and he sits up. I lay back and let his lips work their magic. Turning my brain to mush and making my body react wildly. "Hold that thought." he whispers getting up. I'm about to protest, but he's back in a second after pulling something from his bag. My eyes widen.

Blood. He holds the pouch to my lips again and I bite into it. He seems to quiver as I suck the blood out quickly, letting it flow down my throat instantly. Once I finish he throws it aside and licks the lingering droplets from my mouth. I almost moan at the sensation and how irresistible I find his fascination. His mouth claims mine again, tongue running over mine almost instantly. I protest as he pulls away bringing my hand to his mouth, biting each fingertip softly. My other hand fumbles dumbly at the hem of his pants, trying to undo the button. He smiles and brings his lips to mine again. Hand still holding mine he moves it down my body, brushing it lightly over my growing erection then back up my body, somehow undoing the buttons of my shirt in the process.

His lips travel down along my jaw and back to my neck, leave my mouth breathing heavily and my body to squirm. Pushing my shirt aside he bites my nipple then rolls his tongue around it slowly. One of his hands has unbuttoned my pants and is now pushing them down. I lift my lower body and feel myself become free of their restriction. I moan as his hand cups me and a finger brush against my entrance.

His mouth claims mine again and my hands instantly pull at his jeans. He smiles as I slide them off of his hips with ease, lifting his legs to help me pull them completely off. He works his way back down my body, fingers sliding into my mouth. I suck on them eagerly, glad my mouth has something to do. He pulls them out and moves them to my backside as he kisses the inside of my thighs. His fingers slide over my entrance several times, forcing a moan each and every time, before finally pushing them in gently. My moans turn into gasps. He's gentle, stretching me out slowly until I can't take it any longer.

"In... me..." I manage to gasp. His fingers leave me and his tongue invades my mouth again. My moan is barely muffled as his cock brushes up against mine. I feel his lips tilt up into a smile and he abruptly rolls us over. I let out a low gasp as I feel him brush against me. I try to make my mouth form a coherent sentence but a low hiss cuts me off as he eases his way inside me. "Oh... my..." I gasp unable to finish as he begins to move.

My body rocks on its own forcing him deeper. "Ha... Harder!" I gasp. He answers my request willingly. My mouth can't stop the odd sounds coming from my mouth and I almost scream as he sits up suddenly hitting something deep within me. He begins to move me and I take over, hitting that spot with each move. The friction with his stomach against my erection and that spot being hit over and over, I can feel myself on the brink. I open my eyes and stare down into his. The look on his face pushes me closer to the edge. "I... love you." My mouth manages to fianlly say.

He smiles, pleasure rolling over his face, making it hard to keep it there. "I lo... love you more" His breath hitches distorting the words into groans.

"Impossible." I gasp as a final thrust makes a tremendous feeling pulse through me making me scream, my cum covering our stomachs. He give one more shove before his warm seed fills me making me moan again with him. He quivers several times before gently lifting me, pulling himself out of my body, and clings to me as he falls back onto the bed.

"Geez." He pants pulling my face up for a kiss. I lay my head against his chest. Listening to his heart slow, I let my eyes shut and the feeling of being completely content wash over me.

_Kyo_

He lays against me, cooling my overheated body and making happiness fill me. I sigh. "We need a shower." I say suddenly standing. His eyes look at me with confusion, before widening with shock as I lift him up and carry him to the bathroom.

**000**

A knock on the door goes ignored as our tongues wrap around each other in a new make-out session. The knock becomes more persistent. Haru smiles and pulls away, moving his lips to my ear. "Someones knocking." His whisper husky.

"Let them knock." I whisper back, tackling him. I laugh as he gives a small squeak of surprise.

"You suck." He mutters.

"Only you." I grin. Then burst into laughter at his clearly shocked face.

"Okay. I know you're both awake now. If you don't open the door in three seconds, I'm breaking it down." Shoot. It's Uotani.

"She will, too." I mutter, kissing Haru one last time before getting up to answer the door. The first thing I see is Uotani's foot flying at my face. "Whoa!" I shout, ducking quickly. "What the hell's wrong with you?!"

"Hm. The three seconds were up. I actually wasn't expecting the door to open."

"God damn! Get some patience!"

"Oh yeah, cause your one to preach about that subject!" She shouted back at me.

"Hey! Stop it you too. Man, you'd think I taught you nothing about self control." Ayame cut in walking out of his room.

"Self control!? Look who's talking Mr. Slave-to-his-emotions!!" We shouted together. My Lover's eyes grew and Haru's low chuckle came from behind me.

"That was pretty cool..." He mumbled. "Anyway, we need to leave. Our flight leaves in an hour and a half and the airport is twenty minutes away."

"Alright." I answered turning to find Haru already carrying the bag and ready to go. I smiled and grabbed his hand. "Okay. Lets go."

* * *

**Ta-da. Smut. Badly written, OOC smut. But smut nonetheless. **

Is it just me or does the chapter seem short? Really short...

Ha ha ha! Has anyone heard that song _'I'm Your Little Butterfly'_ by Smile DK? Well... this story was named after it... Ha ha ha!! I already had the first chapter completed and the story basically out-lined, but I didn't have any idea for the name.... Then my friend played that song. And BOOM! Oh my god. Yes. That's how it happened. You'll see how I tried to cover it in the next chapter. But that song makes me laugh everytime and I can't help feeling a little stupid each time I hear it.

This chapter was named after the April Sixth song by the same name. It also helped keep me focused on writing all my thoughts down.

**Well, on to Chapter Twelve! Which is completely finished.... I think I'll wait to post it though. But who knows how long that could be? -hint hint-**


	12. On The Wings Of A Butterfly

**Hm, I really wanted someone to read over this and give me some pointers... but I seriously cannot find a beta to save my life...**

**Warning: Character deaths. Violence? **

**Anywhoo. Chapter twelve... let's see what it holds.**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve  
**_**On The Wings Of A Butterfly**_

_Somewhere_

"This is bad." Hanajima muttered, staring blankly at Momiji who gave full attention to the shimmering pool in front of him.

"This is really bad." Megumi agreed turning from the blonds worried face.

The usually bright Muse sighed heavily. "This is horrible... And there's no way I can stop it." He whispered sadly. Thoughts of the two ill fated lovers filled his mind completely. The Gods had became annoyed at the role the Muses were already playing in the lives of these humans. They could do no more without their divine fury falling down on them. He looked over at his emotionless companions. He knew they, like him, were worried and defeated. They just had an easier time hiding it. His eyes refocused on the small pond of silver. There truly was nothing he could do this time.

Nothing.

_Kyo_

My eyes stray to the lights of the city as we lift off. He doesn't look at me, but I can see his eyes trained on me in the window. My mind can't stop turning his question over and over. I know my answer... but I don't know how to say it, phrase it so he doesn't take it the wrong way. And I don't understand what he meant by asking it. No matter how hard I try I can't push away the fear, the doubt, his words placed in me. So I can't say anything...

_xXx_

I don't think anything can ruin this happiness. I smile at his hand interlaced with mine as we follow the others and turn into the airport parking lot. "Kyo?" His voice probes. I don't miss sound. The empty, hollow sound interlaced in that one word. I don't say anything but look at him quickly, showing him I heard. "If... if you knew I'd be safer with Hatori... If you knew I'd be... _happier_ with him... Would you let me go? Would you let me return to him no questions asked?"

His question hit me hard. I don't think it would have hurt as much as it did if he hadn't pulled his hand away. I swallowed and pulled the car into the empty space next to Rin. I don't say anything as I get out or as the seven of us go through airport security or while we wait to board the plane. We don't touch, we don't talk, and we don't even look at each other. Ayame's eyes question our behavior, but thankfully, for once, he says nothing.

_xXx_

"I-" I finally find my voice. "I would." I whisper bowing my head. "I would... if I knew that's what you _wanted_. If I knew you would be happier and safer, I would... but I want you to have what you want, what you need." I cringe at the silence that meets me. I gave the wrong answer. I knew it. I should have asked him if he wanted to call Hatori at the airport. If he wanted to stay.

I'm so tense I almost jump as his hand grabs mine, fingers intertwining with my own. Finally I turn to face him. A soft smile warms the eyes staring back at me. "How do you always know the right thing to say?" He whispers leaning in to kiss me. I meet him halfway. I hear Ayame whistle under his breath from the seat beside me and I flip him off as we break apart.

"Eh. I just wing it." I smile.

His head leans on my shoulder as I look forward. The stewardess' face shows she's disgusted before she goes back to helping the man in front of her lay his seat back. I grimace slightly before sudden metallic ripping sound makes me almost jump out of my seat.

Moments later Ayame, Tohru, and Hiro's computers began pitching a high wail.

Shit.

The stewardess begins to head our way, before screaming fills the cabin from behind us. Ayame turns to me, eyes frantic and he held his hand out to stop the stewardess from moving to the sound which has become even louder. I can hear some of the screaming gurgle off sickeningly as the smell of blood explodes throughout the enclosed space. I spring from my seat as Rin, Hiro and Uotani do the same and look at my Lover. "There was another Hunter back there. He sent out the alert." He rushed out.

"Weapons?" I ask.

"Beneath us."

Shit.

"What is it?"

"Altair."

Fuck.

_Haru_

Kyo looks back at me as the name of my Lord slips from Ayame's mouth. His eyes are furious. "Stay here. Please. No matter what. Stay here." He kisses me again and turns back to Ayame. "Keep him safe." Before he and the standing others run to the to the back.

"Be careful..." I call quietly at his back. I move to reach a hand out to him before Ayame grabs it and pulls me from my seat.

"Take us to the cockpit." He demands of the stunned stewardess. She shakes her head, face horrified. He grabs her shirt with his free hand. "Everyone on this plane will die if you don't take us to the pilots."

"I-I can't!" She wailed. He curses under his breath and drags the both of us toward the front of the plane. Tohru stays behind, trying to keep the remaining passengers calm. His words did not go unnoticed by the other people in the tiny space.

"How can we contact them? Is there anyway we can contact them?" He asks her roughly. The screaming dies down, but panic still fills the air. She holds up a small phone and pushes a button. He takes it wordlessly, forcing her to sit down. "Hello." His words are calm, a sharp contrast to his face. I turn back to the new sounds of furious shouting as he begins talking to some one, while typing away furiously at his computer. "Tohru!" He shouts suddenly, grabbing my wrist as I begin moving away.

The brunette appears almost instantly, face the mirror of what I'm feeling, her computer clutched tightly to her chest. "Inform the Europian branch. We're going to need help."

My eyes close and I sink to my knees and begin to pray to whatever entity has us in its hands. Please... please watch over Kyo.

_Kyo_

My form begins to shake, but a hand grabs my wrist. "You can't do that here. Too many people, too much blood. You may know better, but you're still young. There is no telling what you will do." Rin's voice is flat. Crap. I have to do this carefully.

"Relax Kyo. We'll be helping. There's no way he can win." Uotani puts in.

"No." I whip around to face her. "This is my fight." She opens her mouth to protest, but Rin holds a hand up to silence her.

"Fine."

I nod angrily and burst through the curtain separating us from the screams. "Hatori!" I shout at the figure haunched over a twitching body, others laying around him bloodied and broken. I can barely tear my eyes away from their horrified faces as the vampire turns to me. He drops the still twitching body as he meets my gaze. He looks unfazed, clean, as if the bodies laying around him were not ended by his hand. He smiles, teeth dripping with blood, before springing at the still screaming crowd gathered at the back. A young boy is the unfortunate target. He wails and puts his hands out as if to stop the angry vampire. I spring into action before his hand makes it to the boy, smashing into his body, slamming him to the roof with a roundhouse kick.

"Run. Be safe." I whisper gently, his brown eyes making my heart soft. Eyes similar to Haru's. "Guys! Get them out of here!" I yell just before something slams into my stomach. My body takes out a few of the seats before slamming into the wall. "Now!" I roar, my cuts already healing.

"Did you just think you could take him? And I would let you go?" Hatori barks out, his voice ripping through the cabin loudly. I see the people cringe around us as Uotani and the others begin leading them to the cabin we just left. Hatori takes a step towards the line and Rin is there instantly.

"Stop!" I shout as his hand raises towards the werewolf whose body is shimmering where she stands. He looks back at me amused.

"Mak-" I fly into action as the words begin to form on his lips, tackling him to the floor, distorting the words. His legs instantly kick me up, slamming me into the roof. I feel the metal bend around my body painfully and I take the millisecond it takes me to drop to the floor to silently thank the werewolf that infected me. I jump to my feet as soon as I hit the ground and we charge each other as the screams of the remaining passangers fill the room. Our bodies slam together powerfully, the force knocking us back a step as his nails scrape my shoulder, and my half phased arm slices across his chest. I land on the balls of my feet and stare across the destroyed plane cabin that is our battleground. "We end this war tonight." He spits.

"This time with a different ending." I snarl as we charge again.

He ducks last second and grabs my leg, hand closing to shatter it, but my other leg comes up to defend me instantly, slamming into his jaw. I feel it shatter under my knee and roll over his body, landing on my feet, turning instantly. He curses and I see the bones of his jaw fuse together wrong, creating a large point along his jaw. "Damn mongrel." He spits, arm shooting out and he rips another seat from its place, throwing it at me. I dodge in time to see another one fly at my legs. I jump over it easily then realize my mistake as the next one slams into my chest, sending me flying into the back wall.

"Fucker." I spit as blood pools in my mouth. He's already flying at me, teeth bared. I swing my arm out and feel it hit. His hand shoots at me before he goes flying, fingers hooking around the inside of my mouth. I scream as I feel my flesh being torn. My hand flies to the pain and I feel the hole from the side of my mouth to my ear. Fuck. My blood cascades to the floor as I hold the flap of skin in place, praying it will heal back together.

Hatori laughs darkly and licks my blood from his fingers. "I do believe the ending will be the same. And once again Haru will be mine. He will forget you ever existed." He laughed. "And I'll find you next time and kill you while you are still defenseless. No matter how many times we do this, I'll always win!" His laugh was now that of a madman, shaking the plane with it's force. "I am a God and I cannot be stopped by something like you!"

I finally felt my flesh begin fusing together and the pain becoming duller. "How pathetic." I spit. "You have to force him to love you while he loves me the instant we meet. Does it hurt to know he still loves me when I'm not there?" His eyes became furious. "Or do you delude yourself into thinking he loves only you?" At this I smile, flinching inwardly at the pain radiating from my still healing wound.

His roar is his answer as he flies at me again. I swing my body around in a kick, protecting my still wounded face, and slam him against the luggage rack. "Kyo!" Hiro's voice reaches me from below, before I see Rin catch something by the curtain and throw it at my feet.

I grin as I tear the bag open. My weapons fall around my feet.

I reach for one but Hatori slams into my side. I feel my ribs snap under the force and his arms crush around my body. I let out an angry scream and bring down my head with all my force against his. They both crack and we both let out screams that brings us to our knees, his arms letting me go. I seem to recover first and kick with all my might against his face. The wall, bent from my body already, gives and he slams through it. I stand, clutching my throbbing head. My body tells me to go after him, but part of my training comes back to me. If I rush after him, he has the chance to surprise me.

He leaps through the hole seconds later. Fuck. There's no way I can live through this.

_Hatori_

My head is aching and the bone seems to be having trouble healing itself. I lay on the floor clutching my head, waiting for the Hunter before deciding he's not going to rush through after me. I get up and shake the pain off, jumping through the hole. He's still on the floor. I smile as I taste the pain rolling off his body. Then something around him changes and he smiles viciously, charging once again.

_Kyo_

I throw myself at his body as the the decision to fight without self preservation over comes my mind. We land hard against the floor and the pain from my still fusing ribs rockets through me, but my brain shuts it off quickly. He moves to shove me off of him as my fist connects with his face abruptly and I smile as one of his fangs fly from his mouth. I swing again but the sudden tilting of the plane makes the blow barely brush his nose. We tumble over the twisted metal beneath us, and I feel something pierce my side, painfully taking a chunk of my flesh with it as we continue rolling. I block it off and slam his head on the ground before another roll puts me beneath him, his hands closing around my throat.

"Damn it." I hear my whisper as I shove my arm against his elbow. The vampire roars again as I feel the bone break. We land roughly against the wall and I take the opportunity to lift myself, throwing him from me. He lands on his back, arm still dangling oddly. As I take a step towards him the room begins to spin dangerously. I don't have to look at the wound on my side to know that's the cause. I spit more blood from my mouth and ignore the black creeping it's way into my vision. "Is that all you've got?"

He hisses still clutching the arm that will heal in seconds. The plane thumps around roughly and I'm thrown against the wall. What the fuck is going on? But I notice the tree tops coming into view in the windows. I brace myself and push off from the wall, slamming into Hatori with enough force to send us flying through the wall, morphing in the process.

We land hard in a field, and I feel his spine snap under my front paw that breaks in the process. I howl at the pain and jump off of him, landing roughly on my back in my human form. I jump up and turn to the withering vampire, right side tilting in his direction and protect my broken left arm. I run at him as he begins to sit up, using my body to pin him down and begin to punch him savagely with my good hand, feeling my other arm beginning to heal itself.

I can feel my body starting to wear down but I push myself onwards, determined to finish the job. He hand powerfully pushes me away and, with no walls around to block my fall, I land fifty yards from him. I feel something snap, but I can't feel where. I push myself back to my feet just as I hear the plane land roughly somewhere far away. I smile at the finally standing vampire, his glare murderous and his body poised to fight. "Let's end this."

_Haru_

I'm not surprised when I rush into the cabin they had been fighting in to find them both missing. Kyo's blood is everywhere and a large chunk of flesh stuck on a knife captures my attention. I sink to my knees next to it. Of course it's his. That idiot. The blade is silver. That wound will not heal easily. I hear a painful howl and take the blade with me as I join the rest of our group helping frightened passengers from the makeshift landing.

Several of them are crying, but a young boy looks around desperately. His eyes settle on Rin and he walks over to her quickly. 'Where the hell is that kids mother?' I think, but the thought halts as I think back on the bodies laying on the floor. "Where's the man?" He asks softly, tugging gently on Rin's arm. She looks down at him with confusion. Obviously kids are not her forte. I mean, Hiro pretty much acts like an adult.

"Who are you looking for?" My voice sounds dead with a touch of kindness.

He looks up at me shyly. "The man. The one that saved me." He replies looking down as a blush stains his face. "His eyes were so soft when he told me to be safe. I just wanted to make sure the madman didn't hurt him." I tremble inside and grip the knife tighter.

"No. The madman will not hurt him. He's tough." I almost whisper. I motion Tohru over. "Stay with him. I'm going to go see Kyo." She nods and leans in front of the boy, smiling gently. I turn and head back to the hole they made in the other compartment, when Ayame stops me. "Let me go."

He shakes his head. "I'm supposed to keep you safe." I growl. "You're taking me with you." Rin and Hiro stand at my side. Uotani joins us smiling, telling Tohru to wait here for us. I feel a smile form on my face as Rin pulls Uo onto her back. I pull Ayame's hands around my shoulders and we walk together to the back cabin and dash quickly from the hole, off to find the love of my eternal life.

Hopefully still standing.

_Kyo_

I feel my body weakening with every blow I landed on his. I can't phase for more than a few seconds at a time and I can't hold my gasps in any longer when his slam into me. I can't take much more of this. He keeps re-breaking bones faster than they can pull themselves together. Damn. If only I had grabbed some sort of weapon before diving off the plane blindly. His last blow barely tosses my body aside. He's weakening too. But not as quickly as I'm falling. And I know...

I won't last.

I will die again.

I hear my collarbone snap and I cry out in pain. "Fucker!" I swing my arm out and he's swept off me. I get up. The black edging around my vision is getting harder and harder to ignore as it begins to tighten. I phase quickly and sink my jaws into his leg, jerking my head up, feeling it tear cleanly at the knee. His scream erupted into the night, but my form could no longer hold and I fall to my hands and knees beside him, leg still in my mouth.

His fury seemed to fuel him as he lunged at my throat. "Kyo!" Haru's voice hit me like sweet breath and I slammed the vampire with a right hook sending him flying. I turn and saw something silver fly towards my face. I snatched from the air and brought it up as the crazed vampire made another leap at my neck. Black blood spilled around my feet as I felt something pierce my neck and the knife sink into his heart. I thrust it up quickly, pull it out, sever his neck cleanly and toss his immobile body aside.

Shit.

I won.

I laugh bitterly.

There was no healing from the wound he left.

I lifted my fingers and brush them at the searing hole in my neck. It wasn't healing. I could feel the acid-like poison travel down my body... to my heart. As I fell backwards I heard a scream. "H-Haru." The name felt like acid on my tongue and I shuddered. I wanted to tell him to stay back. I wanted to tell him to turn around and run away. But I let the selfish part of me win and the words slurred on my tongue as his face found it's way into my slowly disappearing vision. I tried vainly to push the black haze away. I wanted to see his face one last time. My hand is on his face, I don't remember lifting it. He leans into it but he's eyes never leave me. "I'm sorry." I whisper.

His eyes widen slowly. "For what?" My eyes begin to shut but he shakes me until they open again. "Kyo. For what!" His voice barely shoots up an octive. I pull him down to me, lips finding his instantly.

"For l-, ah, leaving you again." I gasp as the pain shoots through me with every beat of my slowing heart.

"Leaving? But you won! Where are you going?" His hands flutter to my face frantically.

My eyes try to close again but I fight against them. "I'm sorry... for dying again." I feel my body begin to twitch as my heart begins losing the fighting battle. His lips press against mine desperately, begging me to stay with him. I answer with a heavy heart, my tongue slipping into his mouth one last time. He breaks it first and pulls my head into his lap. Pain spasms through me but I fight to hide it. I lift his hand to my face again and kiss his palm. I stare at the crowd of familiar faces forming around me and I'm not shocked as I find Kisa standing sadly among them, a red butterfly perched on her shoulder. And a sudden phrase forms itself in my mind. I open my mouth and hear myself sharing it with them before deciding to do so.

"We are all fragile. Mortal and immortal alike. Fragile like the butterfly."

Haru's body shakes beneath me and I see Uo begin to cry, Ayame's unshed tears make his eyes glisten, Rin frowns, almost sadly, I let myself think, and Hiro fights something behind his eyes and I let myself think it is sadness as well.

"I love you." He whispers, tears falling onto my lips, slipping into my mouth.

I force the pain from my voice to utter back, "I love you more."

"Impossible." I hear him whisper. My heart shudders finally giving out, but instead of embracing the sweet numbing kiss of death, I fight it everyway until my eyes lose to the darkness and my last breath eases from my mouth.

"I'm sorry..."

_Haru_

He doesn't hear my scream when I feel his last breath leave his body. He doesn't hear my cries as I shout to the entity in the sky that betrayed me. He doesn't hear the screams I curse at the hands pulling me away from his body. He doesn't hear the shocked gasp of the silver haired man clasping his hand. He doesn't hear the tears falling from his blond companion as she kneels, crying loudly beside him. He doesn't hear the pain filled tears dropping to the ground that escape my eyes. He doesn't hear me pounce on the body of the vampire who took him from me again. He doesn't hear me ripping the body apart. He doesn't hear the others letting me push my rage onto the corpse. He doesn't hear me light the body on fire. He doesn't hear me sob, spreading myself across his chest.

He no longer hears anything.

And I almost don't hear the sound of a heart restarting itself beneath me.

* * *

**Oh shit. **

**Sorry kiddo's.**

**It looks like there's more.**

**If you read this and thought it was the end... I'm going to have to shoot myself for not being able to explain anything properly...**

**Ha ha. Icky. I wanted to write a really good fight scene!! But... any fight I've ever been in, I couldn't explain what the hell I was doing afterwards. :p That and I think my imagination is more** _Zombies With Chainsaws_** than** _Vampire/Werewolf Fist-fight_**_. _[if that made any sense to you, marry me, you're obviously my soul mate.] That's why I really wanted a beta or someone to go over this chapter and tell me what the fuck I could improve on.**

**Uh, This chapter was brought to you by the songs: **_The No Seatbelt Song _by Brand New, _Human Being Lawnmower _by MC5, _Act of Depression _by Underoath and_ Seven Swans _by Sufjan Stevens. **I didn't even listen to 'my playlist' this time. It was just those four songs over and over and over. I thought my friends were going to throttle me! O.0 ****But yeah, those songs are the shiz. **

**Anywhoo. Hatori's deeeeeed. You can either celebrate or throw things at me. I'll take either. **


	13. A Kiss For Briar Rose

**It's hard to write a chapter like this... when I have doubts about afterlife in general. I'm well aware the chapter title sucks.**

**Sorry the chapter's late! I was working on the next part. Planning, blah blah blah and all that jazz. Characters aren't mine as you know already. :p On with the chapter!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Thirteen  
**_**A Kiss For Briar Rose**_

_Kyo_

The light is beautiful. It's calming. It's soothing. It's lonely. I can't feel anything but the ache in my chest, the ache in my heart. Funny. I always thought after you die, pain of any kind goes away... doesn't exist. So I must be in hell. I know I died. I remember my last moments perfectly. I remember everything that was important about that moment. The faces of my friends, the taste of bloody tears on my lips, and the agony filled chocolate brown eyes they fell from. And suddenly, I know exactly why I'm lonely. There could be a thousand souls around me... but still it would be as if they didn't exist. For none of them would matter if they were not Haru.

I died again. And this time I left him completely alone. I don't have any regrets about killing Hatori, but I didn't mean to leave Haru alone for all eternity.

"Hello." A soft voice sounded out behind me. I turn slowly, the floating sensation making it hard to make any movements at all. And as I drift around, I feel the air around me ripple out as if it were water. It's so warm, so beautiful, for a minute I want to close my eyes again. I smiled and leaned back. "Open your eyes. Please don't close them. I can't help you if you do." The voice is so close I could swear I felt the breath on my neck.

"Help me?" My voice is soft, almost a coo.

I hear a sigh. "Yes, help you get back to Haru." My head snaps up and I stare at the blond boy before me. Haru. Yes. I want to get back to him.

"How?" I ask part of me wanting to stay submurged forever in this odd combination of air and water. I'm tempted to lean back again and just close my eyes. What could it hurt? If I only did it for one second, it wouldn't do anything to me. Nothing could happen that fast.

"Keep your eyes open!" The blond almost snapped. "If you close your eyes, you **will **pass on. There's no way you could ever be together after that." His small fingers dug into my arms and the air/water around me became cold in an instant. I shivered and huddled my arms closer to me. He smiled a little bit. He was a boy, I could tell you that. Even if his voice and face made it debatable, his bare chest left little doubt, but the pink robe draped around him elegantly didn't help his case in any way. My teeth began to chatter.

"Could you turn upt the heat?" I growled, feeling my body go numb.

He smiled shaking his head. "I can't."

"Why not!" I shouted, rubbing my hands over my exposed arms furiously.

"You're the one in control here!" He giggled, floating/swimming circles around me, robe billowing out behind him beautifully. "You may be dead, but you control this area. This is where **you** wait to pass on. Like a private booth. Everyone controls their own until they're ready to leave. Do you believe in ghosts? Of course you do! I almost forgot what you did for a living. You know why ghosts stay behind, correct?"

I couldn't stop staring at the kid as I shivered my ass off. "Can you just get down to it?"

"Someones cranky." He smiled. "When people are murdered, or die unexpectedly, or kill themselves, or even kill others, their 'waiting area's' are like yours is now. Cold, uncomfortable, scary. You've lost the urge to close your eyes right?" I nodded once. "So do they and they can't move on. Though, most suicides and murder victims area's usually warm up and they close their eyes, passing on easily. But for some reason murderers have a harder time. Megu-chan says it's cause they're guilty and fear moving on. They stay in the cold for centuries sometimes... Ah! I got off topic!" His hands did a weird flipping thing that reminded me of Ayame. "Anyway, breathe, relax." My shoulders tensed.

"Just tell me what I have to do to get back to Haru."

It looked like he wanted to smile and frown at the same time. It would have been humorous if I hadn't been cold enough to shit ice cubes. "Right." His hand disappeared into one too big sleeve and he pulled something out carefully. I watched, curiosity almost killing me, as he opened his hand slowly.

A red butterfly flew from his fingertips and landed lightly in his hair. I had one of those crazy feelings... like it was looking at me. "This," the blond pointed to the butterfly, "is how you'll get back to Haru."

I stared at him for a moment. "Uh... Am I supposed to follow it?" I asked. That was the logical question to ask right? Apparently wrong. The kid starting laughing at me, not just laughing, full on Ohmigod-I-can't-believe-how-stupid-you-are-I'm-gonna-wet-myself laughing. The air/water around me grew hotter and hotter, until I yelped. I'm pretty sure I know what a lobster feels like in a boiling pot now. I spent all my efforts trying to cool the room down.

"It's a life." He whispered. "It's a heartbeat. It's a breath. It's a child's wish. I promised you would get it. Even if my master made me live in Hades for eternity." He let the butterfly crawled onto his finger and held it out to me. "If you take it. This room will disappear. Your heart will restart. You will begin to breathe. And there will be pain. You will be unconscious without the comfort of being detached from your body. But your body will be alive until you reach a stable point. And it's not guaranteed to work. If your body isn't strong enough... you'll die... and there are no more chances Kyo. The only reason you have this one is because your sister loves you, but she can only give so much."

He wants me to think this over? And what does this have to do with Kisa? "Who are you?"

He smiles brightly. "Momiji, Muse of the ever changing, indefinably future. Of course!" He chirps happily.

"Of course." I snort. "Do I eat the butterfly?" I ask reaching for it.

His face immediately becomes appalled and he pulls out of my reach. "No! Why would you think that!?"

"I donno! What else was I supposed to do with it!?!? Carry it around with me?" I shout back at him, face heating up in a blush. He smiles at me and reaches his hand towards my chest, but hesitates.

"Once I do this, I can't undo it. It will hurt." He chewed the side of his lip.

"Do I look like someone who hesitates because of pain?" I asked, making him smile widely.

"I guess not." He smiled. His hand is an inch from touching me and the butterfly begins to work it's wings, lifting off of the kids small pale finger. Trails of white floating on the air/water as it made it's way around me. It was beautiful. And in the white nothingness of the room, the red of it's wings smeared and creating patterns that had no name, no real definite shape, but they were beautiful nonetheless. The trails of white floated to my skin, leaving me glowing as they landed softly on me. I couldn't help moaning as they exploded across my body in soothing rhythm and I almost didn't notice when the butterfly melted into my chest, over my heart. For a moment it was wonderful relief.

My eyes snaped open to darkness.

And if I could have opened my mouth to scream... I would have.

_Haru_

"Don't! Stop!! Don't move him!" I shouted as Ayame and Uotani reached down to pull his body up. I looked over at the werewolves. They didn't look like they heard it yet. "Listen." I almost whispered laying my head on his chest, ear against his bloody skin.

Th-thump.

Th-thump.

Black eyes widened and grabbed his wrist. Th-thump. It was like a serenade to me and tears fell onto skin. His blood-song began flowing, breath began filling his lungs, and I could barely hold back a sob. Both humans pushed themselves down beside me, trying to listen for themselves. A collective sigh of relief sounded out through the night air. Kyo was alive...

"He's not breathing!" Ayame froze. Panic flooded me again. Ayame started preforming CPR, but Rin stopped him before he could put his lips to Kyo's.

"Virus."

"There's no time!" I shouted, ready to throttle the woman. She glared at me and bent down, blowing air into my lover's throat. His chest rose and fell before Ayame started compressions again. I looked up as I heard buttons being pushed to see the blond woman on the phone talking low and fast. Hiro just stood there staring at the man we'd all just accepted had died and our attempts to keep the heart that restarted beating. I'm kneeling by his side now. Out of the way of the ones who can save his life, but I can still hear ever forced breath, every labored heartbeat.

"Can we get him to the plane?" Uotani asked. I look over at her and nod.

"If I run... I can get there in time to push more air into his lungs." I whisper, letting my hands check his body for wounds that would complicate the movement.

"The major bones have healed already. He's got something complicated going on internally." Ayame whispered quickly, gently moving my hands aside when they got in his way. "One of his ribs has healed wrong. But that can wait." Rin has taken over preforming CPR and I watch her lips count slowly.

"Haru. When you get to the plane, there will be a man in a black suit and a red tie beside an ambulance. That's where you need to take him. No where else. The man works for our bosses and that team is well aware of what Kyo needs, what his condition is." I nodded stiffly. "Don't let them separate you from him. Until you get to the hospital, don't let him leave your sight." She whispered fiercely.

"Do you think I'd let them take him without me?"

She grinned. "We'll be there as soon as we can." I nodded again and as Rin blew air into his lungs, I lifted him from the ground and as soon as her lips left his, I ran. Air whistled past me and I was at the plane in seconds, my eyes searching the crowd. There. I darted to the man in the black suit and red tie, gently placing the body of my love at his feet and blowing air into his lungs before the man realized we were there.

"His heart. It's beating, but he's having trouble breathing." I stated coldly, drawing his attention to us. I see him flinch, but immediately motion for the team in the ambulance to assist me. They lifted him quickly onto the gurney, placing something over his mouth.

"Wait for his family. We'll take if from here." The man muttered, voice almost as emotionless as mine. I glared up at him and felt him shudder.

"No. You'll move aside. I'll get in that ambulance and you will take me wherever you take him. You won't stand in my way. And you will not argue with me." The paramedics working on Kyo looked at me like I was crazy. "Help him." My voice is ice and they quickly get back to work, pushing the gurney back into the white vehicle. I jump in quickly and sit by his side.

"Kyo!" I look up. My eyes meet briefly with Tohru's before the doors shut and we begin driving away.

-

The room smells horrible. I hate it here. I smell the blood. I taste the disease. I hear the dying. This is probably the most foul place I've ever been. Kyo's hand sits warmly in mine and I glance at the lightening sky. The sun will be rising soon, but I can't leave yet. I'm waiting for the others to show up. I lay my head on his chest and listen to the weak heart. It's working, it's keeping him alive, but just barely.

The hole Hatori had given him, the killing blow really, on his neck had taken an hour to close fully. I watch it fade slowly, now just a white circle on his bronze neck, and curse my Master again. I don't understand why he couldn't just let me leave and I don't understand how Kyo's heart started beating, but at this point I'm sick of asking questions. Fuck, I'm sick of answers too. After this shit, I think I deserve a century or three of nice and normal life. Kyo deserves it ten fold. I let out a shuddering breath and gripped his hand in mine gently.

"God! I was ready to rip that nurse a new one!" I jump as Uotani's voice reaches me from three stories below. "The sun's rising and Haru's still stuck in the hospital! Kyo's so gonna rip us a new one when he wakes up and Haru's injured from the sun!"

"Quit yelling blondie. My ears are aching already."

"What was that twerp?!" I smiled as the elevator opened and their footsteps came closer. I kissed Kyo gently and stood, waiting for his comrades to show themselves. Tohru came through the door first, brown eyes full of tears. She looked like a wreck, but she smiled and hugged me tightly around my waist before moving to Kyo's side. Ayame smiled weakly at me and stood beside Tohru. Uotani crushed her palm against the top of my head ruffling my hair, before flopping into a chair loudly. I waited for the werewolves to enter, I could smell the tension rolling off them, but they stood at the door. One on each side. As if guarding us. Guarding Kyo.

Ayame noticed me watching the door and spoke up. "Kyo has just killed a vampire Lord. His life is in danger. From those that want to establish their power. From those loyal to Hatori. From any of the remaining seven. Even other Hunters. Not to mention we have to keep an eye out for Akito..." I nodded. Of course. He's fighting for his life and people are still trying to kill him. I wonder briefly why I'm not surprised...

"I have to lay down." I mumble as my eyes start to close on their own. The sky is pink. The sun will be rising so soon. I feel pale arms on my shoulders and I met gold eyes.

"Someone get him to a car."

"No." My voice hasn't betrayed the dragging tiredness in mind. "I'm not leaving him." I mutter, climbing onto Kyo's bed. Everyone but the wolves begin to protest at once, their voices meshing in a very annoying manner, until it's just the silver haired Lover speaking.

"Haru, I don't think-"

"Hm." I cut him off and pop one of the white tiles in the ceiling up. The room falls quiet as I disappear through the hole quickly, hopping up and over. "If anyone stabs me... I'm killing the loud one." I whisper, pulling the white tile back into place. I almost smile at the shocked faces and the undignified squeak Ayame gives. And as I feel the the tile fall back into place perfectly, throwing me into complete darkness, the sleep of the dead falls over me.

_Elsewhere_

Hanajima picks up Momiji's stack of tarot cards. "Are you happy?"

"I could be if you quit messing me up." The blond pouted as she pulled the deck away from his grasp. "I'm happy those two get this chance. Of course I hate resorting to these things to see." He huffed again and flipped the cards over, reading each as they turned. "Yeah. These things totally suck."

"You just hate the fact you can't even see the different paths they could have to go through." Megumi sat almost perfectly still concentrating on the current path of a gathering of demons.

"It sucks!" Momiji moaned, pink robe billowing out as he flopped back. "If it had just been him, I'd still be able to watch out for them. Not that I'm not totally happy Kisa gave him one of her lives, cause I seriously am, but now that it's her energy in his body... it totally messes with my ablity to see him. And now those stupid kids are in a blind spot until that dummy opens his eyes! I know there are only two outcomes. He either dies, or he opens his eyes, but now I have no idea if Deneb is gonna have him killed or what. And his stubborn boyfriend probably won't leave his si-" A pale hand covered his mouth and he began laughing.

"Right back to the cards!"

Both black haired Muses rolled their eyes and watched Momiji concentrate over his ancient cards.

_Kyo_

I felt the sting of the needle as they pushed it into my body before the sweet painkillers were pumped into me. I felt the IV being pushed into my arm. I felt my rib being re-broken. I felt every single thing they did to my body. And I couldn't even wince through it all, let alone scream. I swear to god, if I wake up from this, it's gonna take a hell of a lot to even make me grit my teeth in pain.

I could hear the voices of everyone around me with crystal clarity, and every once in a while, I go numb. I'm thinking that's the equivalint of sleep. It must be. I try to stay in that numb area most of the time.

A tube was pulled through my throat this afternoon and I panicked. My heart didn't even respond to it. The stupid monitor just kept beeping at it's regular pace as if I didn't even exist. But my lungs filled themselves easily. It was a wonderful experience to have to pull air through my throat, instead of having it forced into my lungs.

I think it's night time. The air is cooler, the noises in the hall are becoming less frequent and I find myself wondering when Haru will wake up. I want to smile as I think of Haru, but my lips remain still. I want to roll over as well, the area between my shoulder blades is becoming tight and pain spreads from it dully, making me even more conscious of all the pain in my body. The sharp sting in my neck, the horrible throb from the IV needle in my arm, the dry ache of my throat. I wish this would end. I want it to end.

_Somewhere in the Arctic Circle_

I can't stop my smile. My body sways to the beat some lower demon is beating out. Lord Altair is dead. I laugh loudly and bite my lip. I knew it the moment it happened. His energy separating and flowing into the rest of us. I can barely contain myself. There's no way I can lose. That Hunter. The fiery one. The one that felt compelled to speak so freely against me. The one I wanted to keep for a moment. He died. I knew that as soon as it happened as well. The demon scout I sent to watch his movements informed me seconds after his heart had stopped beating. It was a waste, but a necessary one.

I can't stop from smiling. Life is looking good.

_Haru_

I awoke as the last rays of the sun slipped behind the mountains. I rolled my stiff body, working out the rigor type stiffness from my limbs, before pulling the tile from the ceiling and dropping carefully beside Kyo's bed. Still out of it, but I can hear the difference in his heart instantly. It's stronger. Beating in a steady rhythm, too fast for a human, but still too slow for a werewolf. I still take it as a good sign and smile, pressing my lips to his. "Oh. Morn... Evening? Uh, hey Haru."

I turn to see Uotani looking up at me from her book, smiling. "Good evening." I greet her. She stands and streaches, glancing at her watch.

"Do you need something to drink?"

"I'm fine." I whisper, my eyes returning to Kyo's face.

"I'll bring you something anyway. No offense, but you look terrible." She smiled and walked out the door. "And you two, you just look horrible." She laughed and I heard a deep growl. "I'm goin'." I heard her chuckle the rest of the way down the hall. She opts for the stairs and I listen to her footsteps before running my hands over Kyo's skin softly, his skin warming my icy fingertips quickly. I don't know how long he'll be like this, but I could careless. I can wait an eternity. I can wait forever for those eyes to open and for him to tell me he loves me.

"How's our sleeping beauty doing?" I look up at the stranger who entered the room freely and crouch over Kyo protectively, a low growl starting in my throat. "Whoa. Just cheaking on my patient."

"He's the doctor." Rin whispered.

I sniffed the air just to make sure. "He doesn't smell like one." I whispered, sniffed again and backed away slightly. He smiled at me, eyes giving me the once over before his smiled widened. I let my eyes go back to Kyo.

"So, are you related to him?" The doctor asked, taking notes as he checked my love over.

"He's my soul-mate." I stated as I sat down in the seat next to Kyo's bed. He laughed and smiled at me again.

"You don't mince words do you?"

I stared him straight in the eyes, letting all my boredom show. "No."

I don't meet his eyes again and he finishes quickly, leaving after his attempts to start a conversation fail. I press my forehead with my index finger and squeeze my eyes shut. Sometimes being a vampire sucks.

-

The nights pass slowly and every morning, as I crawl into the space above his bed, I fear closing my eyes. I'm afraid that while I lay useless someone will try to take his life again.

The third night at the hospital a vampire jumped through the window, and tried to jump on him. He was young and fell easily, but it made all of us even more uneasy.

The forth night his heart began skipping beats, before quickening back up. Now it was closer to Rin and Hiro's heart beats and less like a humans.

The fifth day they had to put the breathing tube back in when he stopped breathing.

The sixth night they removed it.

It's been nine days since he came to the hospital. Nine days since he died. Nine days since his heart stopped beating. I think I'm going to have a nervous breakdown. It's easier with the others around. Their nervous habits making mine settle deep within me, but when we're alone, I can't stop my shaking. My body rocks back and forth without me realizing I started and I can't stop it. I feel like I'm going to shatter. I find myself crying when there's no one around and before sleep takes me away.

Ayame enters the room before I can calm myself down. I wipe bloody tears from my face quickly and let the knees I'd drawn to my chest fall. I took several deep breaths and refused to meet his eyes. "They say he's stable now. It's just a matter of time before he finds his way back to us." He whispered, pushing orange hair from Kyo's heart shape face.

"He was stable a few nights ago. Then they had to hook him up to a breathing tube. I don't trust those doctors, but you're right. We just have to wait for him to find his way back..." Our silence is only broken by the frantic beep of the heart monitor. I felt like I was going to lose it.

So I began humming.

It was soft at first. Something to occupy my mind, just a tune to help numb myself. It wasn't until the tune ended for the second time, started a third time and Ayame filled in the words that I recognized it. It was the song Kyo had been singing in the shower with me the night he died. The song that, now, seemed almost ominous.

"If heaven and hell decide that they both are satisfied, illuminate the No's on their vacancy signs." Ayame's voice was soft and melted with my humming perfectly. "If there's no one beside you, when your soul embarks, then I'll follow you into the dark." The hint of sadness fit the mood perfectly. We continued and repeated the song several times. The room gave our song a deeper sound and tears made their way into my eyes. My chest gave a sharp squeeze and I felt the tears slid down my face, but my hum never wavered.

A soft groan made us freeze and I felt my body begin to shake as the look on Ayame's face told me it hadn't been him. I was standing at Kyo's side in an instant, hands still clasping his desperatly. But he made no other sound and a sob broke it's way through my defenses. He's getting closer, though. I reminded myself. The groan was new. As far as I knew, that was the only sound he'd ever made since his last 'I'm sorry' nine days ago.

So why was I feeling as if my heart was breaking all over again? 'Because for a minute you thought he was waking up...' The logical voice in the back of my head told me, but I barely registered it. Sometimes hope is a bitch. No. Hope is a bitch all the fucking time. I felt my mind numb itself as I shoved those thoughts away and pressed my lips to his softly.

He groaned again. I could feel Ayame shaking beside me and heard Hiro on the phone outside the door. Kyo groaned again and his hand rose shakily to his forehead. I held my breath as his eyes twitched behind the lids and I found myself praying they would opened. And for once, my prayers were answered.

His eyes opened slowly, flinching at the overbearing glare of light. The splash of crimson I hadn't seen in what felt like years instantly made my heart lift. All the uncertainty of the past few days washed from my mind the second they met mine. I wanted to rush to him. I wanted to bring him into my arms and never let him go again, but I held back. The IV stuck to his hand would have made it awkward at best, so I held back. He smiled. A very impish, delicate grin and turned his eyes to the golden eyed man beside me. He opened his mouth and the voice I thought I would never hear again spilled softly from his lips.

"I want a poptart."

**

* * *

**

**Whenever you wake up in a hospital surrounded by people you love... always tell them what you want to eat before they start hanging all over you and you can't get a word in edgewise. **

**Oh, and trust me. After being unconscious for a few days... Cherry poptarts are fucking heaven. :L **

**Or pretty damn close to it.**

**I thought it was kinda funny Haru went through pain to remember Kyo, now Kyo goes through pain to get back to Haru. (that's not funny you say? i know. you can hit me.) This chapter, late though it may be, is brought to you by the song** _Relief_ by Chris Garneau.** The next chapter is the last one for Butterfly. T.T Kinda sad to see it go, but also very very happy. Like I mentioned above, I'm already working on the sequel **_The Child's Waltz . _**So... You'll totally read it right? Cause I know you know you want to know what happens with Akito's 'Ruling Over The Humans' Scheme... and all the lovely lemons that go with it... not that I write good lemons... -.-' Anywhoo. I plan to have **_The Child's Waltz_** up about an hour to a day after the last chapter of Butterfly! Hurah. **


End file.
